OREANDA-NEWS. April 15, 2013. Main achievements of the State Space Agency of Ukraine (SSAU) and enterprises of the branch in 2012 were discussed during a briefing with participation of head of the State Space Agency of Ukraine Yuriy Alekseyev which was held at the House of Government and was dedicated to the Day of Space and Rocket Industry Workers.

In his speech Yuriy Alekseyev analyzed activity of the State Space Agency of Ukraine and enterprises of the branch for 2012, outlined tasks and prospects of the development of rocket and space industry of Ukraine for 2013. Among principal achievements there should be singled out considerable growth of production volumes, active participation of Ukraine in international projects, launch of Ukrainian carrier rockets, activities in creating the Lybid National satellite communication system, works in utilization of solid rocket fuel.

On the outcomes of work in 2012 enterprises of the branch manufactured and sold products to the tune of almost UAH 4.3 bln (as compared to 2011 the volumes of production grew by 20%, the amounts of realization of products – by 19%). Export of production made up UAH 2.5, which is by 5% more than in 2011. The share of export of the production in the general amount of realization makes up 62%. Almost three fourth of the exported products goes to space equipment.

Enterprises of the space branch produced 6 Zenit launch vehicles in 2012, including for the Sea Start (4 РН), the Land Start (1 РН) projects and for the Russian Space Agency (1 РН).

Three launches of rocket carriers of Ukrainian production were made and led to orbit of the Earth three spacecrafts. Overall for the years of independency there were made 128 launches of rocket carriers of Ukrainian production which led to the orbit over 250 spacecrafts.

In 2012 there was completed implementation of the fourth National Space Program for 2008-2012. It should be noted here that in the frames of implementation of the mentioned blueprint Ukrainian scientists had discovered a new unstable radiation belt of the Earth, with the help of the satellite telescope of electrons and protons STEP-F placed on board of Russian spacecraft Koronas-Foton. On February 28, 2013 NASA confirmed appearance of unstable radiation belt of the Earth with help of their spacecrafts.

Besides, during the year there were realized 1144 planned and 364 emergency orders for photography of the earth’s surface from the Sich-2 spacecraft, received over 1500 photos of territory of earth with total area of 10 mln square kilometers with around 300 photos of Ukraine on around 2.3 mln square kilometers out of this number. On their basis the specialists of the SSAU fulfilled significant volumes of works in monitoring of emergency situations, felling of forests, tracking similarity of winter crops in various regions of Ukraine, environmental monitoring etc.

International activity of the SSAU was directed to further development of cooperation in space area with the CIS states, European Union, Southern and Northern America, Asia-Pacific region, Middle East and Africa and also to ensuring fulfillment of international commitments of Ukraine in the area of peaceful use and research of space following international agreements.