Roscosmos, State Transport Leasing Company to launch concessional spacecraft leasing program

MOSCOW. Nov 20 (Interfax) - Roscosmos and the State Transport Leasing Company (GTLK) have signed a cooperation agreement under which it is planned to develop a concessional spacecraft leasing program, the state corporation said on Wednesday.

"The agreement will increase the number of the current orbital group of the Russian Federation and develop digital services using satellite technologies for a broad range of consumers," the corporation said in a statement.

"The parties have agreed on interaction to form and further implement a concessional spacecraft leasing program," Roscosmos said.

The program will increase investment in the industry by drawing funds from extrabudgetary sources, speed up the formation of civil-purpose satellite groups, and increase the amount and availability of services to clients, the corporation said.

The GTLK press service said the agreement had been signed during the Transport Week in Moscow.

"The development of the Russian satellite group is a national priority. GTLK as a development institution is traditionally included in the solution of tasks of state significance. An example is the formation of a civil drone fleet for various sectors of the country's economy. We are happy to offer Roscosmos our competencies to achieve the goals of the new national project in the sphere of space," GTLK General Director Yevgeny Ditrikh was quoted as saying by the press service.

Roscosmos head Yury Borisov said the Orbital Group Development national project envisages drawing a considerable amount of extrabudgetary funding from non-state companies."

"I hope the actions that have been taken will help draw additional investment to the sector and eventually strengthen the Russian orbital group, which will positively impact the socioeconomic development of the country," Borisov was quoted as saying by the GTLK press service.