Russia plans to compete in the low cost launch market against SpaceX by resurrecting the bankrupt firm Sea Launch, the original low cost launch provider, now owned by the Russian government through S7 Airlines or PJSC Siberia Airlines, Russia's largest domestic airline.

Sea Launch Co. LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June 2009, and after emerging from bankruptcy in 2010 was acquired by the Russian government through a bevy of private Russian firms.

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Sea Launch mothballed its ships and put operations on long-term hiatus in 2014 following Russia's military intervention in Ukraine.

Sea Launch was able to undercut its competition by launching its rockets from a specially designed floating launch pad positioned at the Pacific Ocean along the Equator. This launch pad was the self-propelled platform, Ocean Odyssey, while launch operations were controlled from another ship, the Sea Launch Commander.

The sea-based launch system means rockets can be fired from the optimum position on the Earth's surface along the Equator, considerably increasing payload capacity and reducing launch costs compared to land-based systems.

Russian state-owned media says a new medium-class carrier rocket will be developed by S. P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia or RSC Energia to compete against SpaceX's Falcon 9 orbital launch vehicle with a reusable first stage.

"RSC Energia proposes the development of a new medium-class launch vehicle for launches from Baikonur and Vostochny cosmodromes, as well as from the Sea Launch," said RSC General Director Vladimir Solntsev.

"The development of a preliminary design (of the rocket) is under way. The new launch vehicle will be well suited for launches from the Sea Launch, and, of course, it will be competitive with the US-made Falcon rocket."

Falcon 9 v1.2 (Falcon 9 Full Thrust) can lift payloads of up to 22,800 kilograms to low Earth orbit, and up to 8,300 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, according to SpaceX.

TagsRussia, SpaceX, low cost launch market, S7 Airlines, Sea Launch Co. LLC, Sea Launch, rsc energia, Vladimir Solntsev