Confirmed: Tomorrow’s OneWeb launch on Soyuz-2 rocket cancelled
Russia’s state-run press today confirmed that the launch tomorrow of another 36 OneWeb satellites on a Soyuz-2 rocket from Baikonur has been cancelled.
The decision was announced by Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin.
He also instructed to stop preparations for the launch of British OneWeb communications satellites from three spaceports. “All the launches from all Russian launch pads in Kourou, in Baikonur and at the Vostochny Cosmodrome involving the OneWeb company are to be stopped,” the Roscosmos CEO said.
Rogozin has already said that Russia will not refund OneWeb any money it paid for any of the cancelled launches. Nor will Russia return the OneWeb satellites in Kazakhstan to OneWeb.
Meanwhile, it appears that OneWeb is aggressively searching for new launch alternatives.
“We’re looking at U.S., Japanese and Indian options,” Chris McLaughlin, OneWeb’s chief of government, regulatory affairs and engagement, said March 3. “But in the first instance, we’re pointing to Ariane and saying you still owe us a number of launches.”
This statement implies that OneWeb is trying to get Arianespace to pick up the cost of any launches where Russia has been paid but will not launch. This way OneWeb won’t have to pay twice for the launch. This strategy will only work if the partners in the European Space Agency, which owns Arianespace, decide to cover OneWeb’s losses to Russia, which makes this a political decision.
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Russia’s state-run press today confirmed that the launch tomorrow of another 36 OneWeb satellites on a Soyuz-2 rocket from Baikonur has been cancelled.
The decision was announced by Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin.
He also instructed to stop preparations for the launch of British OneWeb communications satellites from three spaceports. “All the launches from all Russian launch pads in Kourou, in Baikonur and at the Vostochny Cosmodrome involving the OneWeb company are to be stopped,” the Roscosmos CEO said.
Rogozin has already said that Russia will not refund OneWeb any money it paid for any of the cancelled launches. Nor will Russia return the OneWeb satellites in Kazakhstan to OneWeb.
Meanwhile, it appears that OneWeb is aggressively searching for new launch alternatives.
“We’re looking at U.S., Japanese and Indian options,” Chris McLaughlin, OneWeb’s chief of government, regulatory affairs and engagement, said March 3. “But in the first instance, we’re pointing to Ariane and saying you still owe us a number of launches.”
This statement implies that OneWeb is trying to get Arianespace to pick up the cost of any launches where Russia has been paid but will not launch. This way OneWeb won’t have to pay twice for the launch. This strategy will only work if the partners in the European Space Agency, which owns Arianespace, decide to cover OneWeb’s losses to Russia, which makes this a political decision.
Readers!
Every February I run a fund-raising drive during my birthday month. This year I celebrate my 72nd birthday, and hope and plan to continue writing and posting on Behind the Black for as long as I am able.
I hope my readers will support this effort. As I did in my November fund-raising drive, I am offering autographed copies of my books for large donations. Donate $250 and you can have a choice of the hardback of either Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8 or Conscious Choice: The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space. Donate $200 and you can get an autographed paperback copy of either.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
I can’t figure out what Rogozin is thinking with these moves. The Russian space program is going to be completely destroyed by this, they’re losing virtually all their customers and at the same time making it clear that you’d have to be insane to sign up for the future. And while it may not be worth the time and effort, I can’t think any of the international trade organizations and courts would approve “no, we’re not refunding your launch costs, and we’re not giving you back your satellites, either.” Maybe the no refunds, but keeping the payload is just stupidity.
Yes, I’d love to see the reasoning behind “we’re keeping your satellites”.
@V-Man
“Yes, I’d love to see the reasoning behind ‘we’re keeping your satellites’.”
The same reasoning where when DC/NYC cancels Russia,
Russia cancels you!
This decision will quickly chill anyone’s consideration to use Russia as a launch platform. Even if Russia offered “free” launch services, would you trust them with your satellites? Uh…no!
Putin is making some moves that may turn things around. His tactics and ethics is self evident by the way he eliminates his competition. But this has the Davos forum, build back better crowd shaking in their boots because he’s not going to bow down before them or allow Schwab to do to Russia what they’ve already done to the United States.
https://halturnerradioshow.com/index.php/en/news-page/world/boom-russia-returns-to-the-gold-standard-for-its-currency
The ruble is backed by gold? And the 30 trillion in US debt is backed in by paper? Air?
https://anti-empire.com/you-heard-the-ruble-is-tanking-actually-the-us-dollar-is-in-freefall-vs-russias-real-currency/