On September 30 the Antonov airfield in the town of Hostomel, near Kyiv, is going to host the 7th international aerospace show Aviasvit-21, which will last until October 4.
Organizers claim that this will be their most impressive show to date: about 80 aircraft are expected to be displayed on stationary sites — from the most powerful Antonov cargo planes to light airplanes and helicopters. Half of them are going through the procedure of being cleared for demonstration flights.
Some aviation stars are also set to attend. Valerii Shmarov, director of the national Academy of Sciences’ Aerospace Institute, told a press conference that Anatolii Kvochur, Merited Test Pilot of the USSR, Hero of the Russian Federation, would show off his aerobatic skills with a Su-30 airplane. According to Shmarov, Kvochur still remains Russia’s No. 1 test pilot. Incidentally, he was the first to perform the Cobra maneuver on a Su-27 plane.
But the show will also be the venue for the signing of important aerospace contracts. For example, according to Eduard Kuznetsov, advisor to the director of the National Space Agency of Ukraine (NKAU), NKAU and Tokyo University will sign an agreement on the joint development of nano-satellites. Kuznetsov says this contract will result in mastering the technology of manufacturing nano-satellites in Ukraine.
Kuznetsov explained the distinguishing feature of these satellites: they weigh about 10 kg and are easy to be put into orbit. Besides, they are capable of performing such diverse functions as scientific research, mapping the terrain, monitoring emergencies, tracking the migration of animals, etc.
There is still more good news for the national aerospace industry in terms of international cooperation. Ukraine will start building a launch pad for its Tsyklon-4 launch vehicles at Brazil’s Alcantara space launch facility. Kuznetsov said a foundation stone would be laid at the construction site. The first launch from the Alcantara facility is expected to occur 18 months later.
The Ukrainian earth remote sensing satellite Sich-2 is going to be used in conjunction with RapidEye, a German geospatial information provider. Kuznetsov says that the launch of the satellite is planned for October, by means of the Dnipro Ukrainian-Russian launch vehicle from the Baikonur space center. RapidEye products will be mainly applied in such fields as agrobusiness, forestry, agricultural risk insurance, terrain mapping, emergencies, and 3D modeling.
