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April 21 - The Sea Launch team, families and friends
gather on the Sea Launch pier for traditional sendoff ceremonies for
those about to board the Sea Launch Commander for the transit
to the launch site.
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Americans, Russians, Ukrainians and Norwegians salute each other, our DIRECTV customer, and the spacecraft builder, Space Systems/Loral. An informal readiness poll is taken... each team leader voices a "Ready!" response.
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Then, it's time to board the ship, let go the lines and push off. The
Sea Launch Commander - and its passengers and crew - are indeed
ready for another successful mission. |
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The Sea Launch Commander operates as the Assembly and Command Ship. It was launched from Kvaerner's Govan yard, near Glasgow, Scotland, in December 1996. This vast high-hulled ship is 656 feet long and 105 feet wide. It serves as a floating rocket assembly plant while in port and as mission control for at-sea operations. It provides accommodation for 240 people, including crew, customers and launch team.
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In late 1997, the Sea Launch Commander sailed to the Kanonersky Shipyard in St. Petersberg, Russia, where more than 600 tons of electronics and communications equipment from Russia and the United States were installed. Departing St. Petersberg on June 12, 1998, the ship traveled through the Panama Canal and arrived at Sea Launch Home Port in mid-July.
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