Roskosmos, in order to launch British communications satellites, demanded that the UK government withdraw from OneWeb’s shareholders. On Wednesday, March 2, it is said in message state corporations.
“In connection with the hostile position of Great Britain towards Russia [из-за спецоперации РФ по защите Донбасса] Another condition for the launch of spacecraft on March 5 is the withdrawal of the British government from the shareholders of OneWeb, ”the message says.
Earlier that day, Roscosmos asked the French launch operator Arianspace to provide a guarantee that OneWeb satellites would not be used for military purposes.
It is noted that the launch of the Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with 36 OneWeb spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome is scheduled for March 5.
Earlier that day, the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle with the Fregat upper stage and British OneWeb communications satellites was installed at the launch complex of pad No. 31 (Vostok) of the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
On March 1, it became known that NASA maintains contacts with Roskosmos to ensure the safe operation of the ISS, sanctions will not affect cooperation between Russia and the United States in the civil space program.
On February 26, it was reported that in response to EU sanctions, Roskosmos was suspending cooperation with Europe on launches from the Kourou cosmodrome in French Guiana.
Earlier, on February 10, the Russian Soyuz-ST-B rocket with 34 British OneWeb satellites launched from the Kourou cosmodrome in French Guiana.
OneWeb satellites are designed to create a space communication system that provides high-speed Internet access anywhere in the world. OneWeb intends to deploy a full first generation constellation by June 2022.
On January 12, the head of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, announced that the state corporation plans to conduct about 30 launches in 2022.
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