Ukrainian Taurus-2 Manufacturer Delays Parts Delivery to Orbital

[Satellite TODAY 08-06-10] Ukraine’s state-owned space company Yuzhmash has postponed the delivery of basic parts for Orbital Sciences’ Taurus-2 launch vehicle’s first stage, Yuzhmash announced Aug. 4.
Due to technical reasons, the manufacturer said it had to postpone the delivery, initially scheduled for early August, to September or October.
    Yuzhmash signed a contract in 2008 with Orbital Sciences to produce Taurus-2 rocket hardware through 2019. The Taurus-2 program is funded through NASA’s COTS space transport program supporting delivery to the International Space Station.  
    The Ukrainian company is responsible for designing and producing the first stage of the launch vehicle, with Orbital responsible for the second stage, ground complex and assembly. The two-stage launch vehicle is designed to transport loads of up to 5 tons into low-Earth orbit.