PARIS — Commercial Proton launch-service provider International Launch Services (ILS) expects to receive a summary this week of the Russian government inquiry into the July 2 Proton failure, and to convene its own ILS-coordinated Failure Review Oversight Board (FROB) on Aug. 9, ILS said.
In a July 26 statement, Reston, Va.-based ILS said its FROB should conclude its work by Aug. 16.
ILS said it is too soon to determine when Proton will return to flight, but that the next launch is a commercial ILS mission carrying the Astra 2E telecommunications satellite for fleet operator SES of Luxembourg. SES officials said July 26 that they were cautiously optimistic that a launch could occur in September.
