An agreement has been struck between the research and production centre joint stock company Elas and Californian-based Courier Satellite Services Inc. to establish a satellite link which will facilitate the high capacity intercontinental data transmissions. A spokesman for Elas says the project has gone beyond the planning stage and the first bird is due to fly in first quarter 1993. This will provide an ultra short wave C Band service. By 1998 the venture plans to be providing a 1.5GHz KU Band service using a total of 60 Russian satellites. Courier Satellite Services has been doing the rounds of US financiers and it is not certain it has raised enough capital for the huge project.
