Russian space agency Roscosmos is refusing to launch the next batch of 36 OneWeb internet satellites as scheduled for today, unless the company meets the state agency’s demands, reports CNBC. Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin said the ultimatum is a response to U.K. sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. OneWeb refused.
Roscosmos said in a statement on Wednesday that the Soyuz rocket will be removed from the launchpad at Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan unless OneWeb meets two demands: The U.K. government sells its stake in the company, and OneWeb guarantees the satellites will not be used for military purposes.
U.K. Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said there is “no negotiation” with Roscosmos about OneWeb and that the government “is not selling its share. We are in touch with other shareholders to discuss next steps,” Kwarteng said.
In turn, Rogozin responded to Kwarteng by saying he would give the U.K. two days to think about its decision, and implied that OneWeb would not be able to complete its satellite network without Roscosmos’ help.
On Thursday, the U.K. firm said in a statement: “The Board of OneWeb has voted to suspend all launches from Baikonur,” reported CNN.
OneWeb’s chief of government, regulatory and engagement Chris McLaughlin, told CNBC that in the meantime, the company has removed its personnel from Baikonur Cosmodrome – as Russia leases the spaceport. McLaughlin said OneWeb’s team on site, as well as a U.S. State Department security representative, are now all safely offsite and relocated elsewhere within Kazakhstan.
OneWeb has launched 428 satellites to low Earth orbit on Soyuz rockets and plans to operate a constellation of 650 satellites to provide global broadband internet from space, Inside Towers reported. OneWeb is one of the most mature versions of these concepts — alongside SpaceX’s Starlink — and has already begun to provide service to customers. SpaceX recently activated service in Ukraine in response to requests from the government.
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