Posted: Fri, Sep 20, 2002, 9:01 PM ET (0101 GMT)
The multinational Sea Launch consortium is considering launching rockets from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, SPACE.com reported Friday. Boeing Launch Services president Jim Maser told SPACE.com that the company was "seriously evaluating" options to launch a version of the Zenit 3SL booster from Baikonur. However, a Interfax article claimed that the concept was a "done deal" with the first launch planned for 2004. The concept of using the Zenit 3SL from Baikonur had been under study for several years under the moniker "Desert Launch". Launching Zenits from Baikonur as opposed to the floating sea-based platform currently used by Sea Launch would reduce the capacity of the Zenit, given Baikonur's higher latitude, but the land-based site could reduce infrastructure complexity.

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•  SPACE.com article