OREANDA-NEWS. Volga-Dnepr Airline’s importance as a carrier of choice for the aerospace industry has been highlighted once again with the delivery of approx 80,000 kilos space satellite and launch support equipment to Kazakhstan.

Globally, one in three of all space satellites are transported to their launch site by Volga-Dnepr due to the airline’s proven expertise in safely delivering such highly sensitive and valuable cargoes and the unique air logistics capabilities of its An-124-100 ‘Ruslan’ freighter fleet.

This latest shipment was carried for SDV Logistique International in France on behalf of Thales Alenia Space, based in Cannes. The An-124 flight operated from Nice to the Baikonur launch site for the consignee, Russia’s Krunichev State Research and Production Center.

On arrival in Yubileyny, the satellite container was carefully transferred to the rail wagon to be transported to the clean room at Baikonur were the satellite was unloaded from its container for the launch.

Matthew Thear, Customer Service Manager at Volga-Dnepr said: “Over many years we have built a strong reputation with manufacturers, space agencies and logistics specialists for our ability to safely move space satellites and related equipment to launch sites around the world. This is a very specialist process that requires detailed planning as well as strict loading, unloading and environmental conditions to protect the shipment all the way to the launch site.”