Russian space program. The turning point came with the entry of the Americans, following the agreement signed by Yeltsin and Clinton in 1993. Much of the hardware would be Russian, but paid for by the Americans. Then came the private joint ventures: Lockheed and Khrunichev offered the Proton, Boeing and NPO Yuzhnoye offered the Zenit. Energomash sold the rights to the RD-180 engines for $1 billion for the American Atlas III, Khrunichev sold the Rockot to Daimler Benz, and Starsem was founded in 1996, a joint venture between TsSKB Progress, ArianSpace, the Russian Space Agency, and EADS, to launch commercial cargo with Soyuz rockets. By 2001, 87 Russian companies had entered into joint ventures with American and European firms. The Russian space program was saved and Baikonur was renewed.
