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Sea Launch is an multinational spacecraft launch service that used a mobile maritime launch platform for equatorial launches of commercial payloads on specialized Zenit-3SL rockets through 2013. By 2013, it had assembled and launched thirty-one rockets, with three failures and one partial failure. All commercial payloads have been communications satellites intended for geostationary transfer orbit with such customers as EchoStar, DirecTV, XM Satellite Radio, PanAmSat, and Thuraya. The launcher and its payload are assembled on a purpose-built ship ''Sea Launch Commander'' in Long Beach, California, USA. It is then positioned on top of the self-propelled platform ''Ocean Odyssey'' and moved to the equatorial Pacific Ocean for launch, with the ''Sea Launch Commander'' serving as command center. The sea-based launch system means the rockets can be fired from the optimum position on Earth's surface, considerably increasing payload capacity and reducing launch costs compared to land-based systems. Sea Launch mothballed its ships and put operations on long-term hiatus in 2014, following the Russian military intervention in Ukraine. By 2015, discussions on disposition of company assets are underway, and the Sea Launch partners are in a court-administered dispute about unpaid expaense that Boeing claims it incurred ==History== Sea Launch was established in 1995 as a consortium of four companies from Norway, Russia, Ukraine and the United States, managed by Boeing with participation from the other shareholders. The first rocket was launched in March 1999. On March 17, 2006, it was announced that Jim Maser, the President and General Manager of Sea Launch, would leave the company to join SpaceX as President and Chief Operating Officer. In June 2009 the provider of the Sea Launch service, Sea Launch Co. LLC, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Sea Launch asserted that it would "continue to maintain all normal business operations after the filing for reorganization." On August 6, 2010, Energia, which already owned 25% of Sea Launch, announced it planned to acquire a controlling interest of 85% in the company. As a result, the company planned to begin land-based launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in early 2011, while sea-based launches to be resumed in September 2011. Sea Launch emerged from bankruptcy effective October 27, 2010.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Sea Launch Company Emerges From Chapter 11 )〕 Energia Overseas Limited, a Russian corporation, is majority owner of the reorganized entity, with Boeing and other American companies retaining minority shares. In 2013, Boeing sued RSC Energia, PO Yuzhnoye and KB Yuzhnoye. According to Boeing the companies refused to pay more than $350 million following the joint venture's bankruptcy filing in 2009. In mid-2014, following the 2014 Russian military intervention in Ukraine and the subsequent unrest in the eastern part of the country, there were a number of Russian media reports that indicated Sea Launch may be planning to mothball the ''Odyssey'' launch platform. The company formally denied those reports in June 2014, indicating it is continuing to buy Zenit rockets from Ukraine, and is still promoting its launch services to the international market, even in August 2014.〔 However, in August 2014, Sea Launch conducted a reduction of their staff and removed from operating status both the ''Commander'' and ''Odyssey'' vessels in order to reduce operating costs during a period where they have no launches scheduled until late 2015.〔(Sea Launch Takes Proactive Steps to Address Manifest Gap ), August 22, 2014, News & Events – Press Releases – 2014, accessed August 27, 2014.〕 In July 2015, industry experts stated that the Chinese government was considering the purchase of the Sea Launch command ship and launch platform assets, but this was not confirmed by either company or Chinese government officials. In September 2015, Boeing won a court judgement against the Russian and Ukrainian partners within Sea Launch. The decision sets up a court trial planned for November 2015 where Boeing will argue that it was not properly reimbursed for of expenses incurred while operating the Sea Launch launch system.〔(Boeing Wins U.S. Court Judgment Against Russian, Ukrainian Sea Launch Partners ), SpaceNews, 30 September 2015, retrieved 27 November 2015.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Sea Launch」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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