LOS ANGELES, February 26 - RAPSI.  Boeing has filed jointly with Russian space giant S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia (Energia), one of the defendants at the receiving end of Boeing’s $350 million breach-of-contract suit, for a 30-day extension of filing dates with a US federal court, according to a copy of the motion obtained by RAPSI.

Bloomberg reported earlier that seeking to recover damages arising from its investment in a sea-based commercial satellite launch project, American aerospace and defense conglomerate Boeing filed the present breach-of-contract lawsuit in the amount of $350 million with interest still accruing against Energia, as well as Ukrainian company Yuzhnoye SDO. 

Bloomberg quoted Boeing as having stated: “Yuzhnoye and Energia owe Boeing and BCSC more than $350 million, with interest continuing to accrue daily… Instead of paying claims to which they have no defense on the merits, Yuzhnoye and Energia have decided to stall and evade, forcing plaintiffs to chase them around the world to secure payment of debts clearly owed.”

The motion, filed Monday with the US District Court for the Central District of California, was signed by attorneys representing both Energia and Boeing.

According to its text, Energia was served with Boeing’s complaint on Feb. 4, and was initially expected to file a response by Feb. 25.
Citing the court’s own rules, which provide for a 30-day extension, the motion implores the court to grant each part an additional 30 days for response time.

Specifically, Energia seeks permission to respond by March 27. Boeing in turn seeks permission to file any opposition to Energia’s response by April 26.
Energia then seeks until May 10 to respond with any of its own oppositions arising therefrom.

The parties then seek a motion hearing date on or after May 24.

According to Sea Launch’s website, the satellite-launch project was established as a joint partnership in 1995 between Boeing (40%), RSC Energia (25%), Kvaemer (20%) and Yuzhmash and Yushnoye (15%).

Its first launch was carried out in 1999. Ten years later, it filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in the US.

In 2010, Energia affiliate Energia Overseas Limited acquired 95% ownership of the newly reorganized Sea Launch Sarl. The remaining 5% share is held indirectly by Boeing and Aker USA.

According to its website, Energia is Russia’s leading rocket-space enterprise, as well as the country’s leader in manned space systems. The company has been operating within the field since 1946 and has “initiated practically all lines of activity related to national rocket and space technology.”

Yuzhnoye SDO traces its origins to 1951, when a Ukrainian auto factory was converted into a missile production plant. Today Yuzhnoye is tasked primarily with creating and operating space-rocket technology, but has branched out to the fields of renewable energy, transportation, and agricultural machinery as well.