Pivdenmash is preparing the expansion of industrial cooperation with the American company Orbital ATK Inc. for 2018 under the program of middle class Antares carrier rockets, involved in the implementation of the NASA contract for the provision of commercial resupply services (CRS) of the International Space Station (ISS).

A source in the plant management told the agency that the company expects in 2018 to receive a new additional order from the U.S. side for the delivery to the United States of the basic structure of the first stage for Antares carrier rockets.

"At present cooperation under the program is provided by Pivdenmash within the contract signed with the U.S. company in 2008 for the delivery of 14 main blocks of the first stage of the Antares carrier rocket. Some ten of them have already been shipped to the customer, another four are to be delivered in 2018," the report reads.

"Given the fact that the annual demand for Antares carrier rockets until 2025, according to Americans, is two launches per year, today we are working with our partners to develop a plan of additional orders for the delivery of 12 more basic first-stage structures in addition to the current contract," the source said.

At the same time, he specified that "according to the agreement, a new contract with Orbital OTK is planned for 2018."