April 24, 2008
Khrunichev Space Center and its
partner International Launch
Services today announced a
broad-based quality initiative for
Khrunichev and all of its
subcontractors. “This will
reinforce our dedication to quality
across the board, ensure we improve
our performance and enhance our
position as a leading space
company,” said Vladimir Nesterov,
Khrunichev General Director.
Key elements of the quality
initiative are as follows:
·
Appointment of a Deputy Director
General responsible for Quality
Control and Management, reporting to
the General Director;
·
Incorporation of the new
subsidiaries (Khimmash [DBKhM],
Voronezh [VMZ] and Polyot) into a
unified Khrunichev Quality
Management System (QMS);
·
Recertification of the QMS to the
latest international quality
standards by a certified independent
auditor;
· Continued
yearly audits and recertification;
· Increased
Quality Awareness/Excellence
Program;
·
Re-evaluation of all factors to
improve the launch vehicle design
quality; and
· Enhanced
customer visibility into product and
process quality.
“This is a broad-based initiative
and not just focused on the specific
issues related to the AMC-14 Proton
Breeze M failure,” Nesterov said.
“The substance of this initiative is
demonstrated by the commitment of
resources and management attention
to implement it.”
“The goal of this effort is to
provide high-quality launch systems
that our customers can count on for
the long run,” said ILS President
Frank McKenna. “We are
committed to providing increased
visibility to our customers and the
insurance community through the
establishment of comprehensive
processes.”
