the space sector in terms of improving its research, experimental and production basis History The agency is a minor descendant of the Soviet space program that was passed mostly to the Russian Federal Space Agency. The agency took over all of the former Soviet defense industrial complex that was located on the territory of Ukraine. The space industry of Ukraine started in 1937 when a group of scientists led by Heorhiy Proskura launched a large stratospheric rocket near Kharkiv. In 1954, the Soviet government transformed the car producer Yuzhmash (Dnipropetrovsk) into a rocket company. Since that time, the city of Dnipropetrovsk has been known in the Anglophone world as the Soviet Rocket City. As of April 2009, the Ukrainian National Space Agency was planning to launch a Ukrainian communications satellite by September 2011 and a Sich-2 before the end of 2011. The Ukrainian built RD-843 engine is used for the upper stage of the European Vega rocket. The first stage of the U.S. Antares rocket was developed by the Yuznoye SDO and produced by Yuzhmash. National enterprises of the space industry Most of the enterprises are located in Dnipro or Kyiv Dnipro State Enterprise Makarov Yuzhny Machine-Building Plant (Yuzhmash) State Enterprise Yangel Yuzhnoye State Design Office State Enterprise "Dniprokosmos" State Enterprise "Dniprovsky Project Institute" Makarov National Center of aero-cosmic education for the youth State Enterprise "Center of rocket-space technology standardization" Kyiv State Enterprise "Arsenal Factory" State Enterprise "Ukrkosmos" State Enterprise "Kyivprylad" State Enterprise "Scientific Center of a Precise Machine-building" State Joint-Stock Holding Company "Kyiv Radio Plant" (former Production Complex) Open Joint-Stock Association "Kyiv Radio Plant" Open Joint-Stock Association "RSB-Radio Plant" Open Joint-Stock Association "SPC Kurs" State Scientific-Production Center "Pryroda" Kharkiv Science-research technological institute of instrument-building (NDTIP) Public Stock Association "Khartron" Corporation Kommunar Crimea National Space Facilities Control and Testing Center Launch capabilities Launch vehicles Ukraine continues further development and modernization of launch vehicles that were created during the Soviet period, primarily the Cyclone and the Zenith. There also was an attempt to redesign a former intercontinental ballistic missile as the Dnepr rocket. Almost all its launch vehicles are heavily dependent on Russian components. During 1991–2007, a total of 97 launches of Ukrainian LV were conducted, including, but not limited to launches on the Sea Launch mobile launch pad. In 2006 Ukrainian launch vehicles accounted for 12% of all launches into space in the world. Ukrainian companies Yuzhnoye Design Office and