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Kirk Pysher out as president of ILS

ULA's John Elbon speaks Sept. 10 at World Satellite Business Week in Paris. ILS President Kirk Pysher is on the right. Credit: SpaceNews/Brian Berger

WASHINGTON — The president of International Launch Services is out a day after the company’s successful Proton launch.

Khrunichev, the owner of ILS, announced Oct. 10 that Kirk Pysher was no longer president, but did not give a reason for his departure.

John Palme, COO of ILS, will serve as interim president until a permanent replacement is named.

The announcement came a day after a Proton launched two commercial satellites in a launch brokered by ILS. It was ILS’s first launch since late 2017.