The end of the Cold War has opened up a new source of satellite launch vehicles in the shape of the Soviet Union’s Zenit rocket. President Bush has approved use of the Russian rocket for launch of commercial US satellites, and a private Australian property company has formed the Cape York Space Agency Pty Ltd to launch the rockets from Cape York on the northern tip of Queensland. According to the New York Times, the US National Space Council has granted approval for a division of United Technologies Corp to operate the launch base. Investment, to have the base ready for launches in 1995 is put at $500m.
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