Roscosmos has refused to launch the OneWeb internet satellite on Friday, March 4, unless the UK-based internet business complies with the state agency's demands.
Since Roscosmos has already assisted OneWeb in launching 428 internet satellites into space, the expectations are extraordinary.
NEWQUAY, ENGLAND - AUGUST 02 : A OneWeb satellite is diaplyed on the opening day of the Story of a Satellite summer exhibition at Spaceport Cornwall on Aug 2, 2021 in Newquay, England. Spaceport Cornwall is aiming to launch its first satellites in spring of 2022.
Russia Won't Launch OneWeb Satellites Unless The UK Follows Demand
According to PCMag, Russia wants OneWeb to ensure that none of the satellites would be used to proceed with the launch for military reasons.
Roscosmos further stated that the OneWeb satellites will not be launched on a Soyuz-2.1b rocket until the UK government sells its part in the firm.
Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Rogozin claimed that he had obtained evidence that OneWeb is in talks with a US client who works as a Pentagon weapons contractor.
Rogozin expressed doubt that OneWeb's satellite internet system will be utilized solely for civilian reasons, citing the United Kingdom's recent sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Rogozin stated that whether or not the launch would take place would be made in a televised address on March 4.
He also shared a video of Baikonur employees covering up flags atop the rocket, including Japanese and American flags, on Twitter.
Roscosmos, on the other hand, added a demand in a tweet that the British government should abandon its interest in OneWeb.
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OneWeb CEO Stunned Over Roscosmos Demand
Chris McLaughlin, OneWeb's chief of government, regulatory, and engagement, said the current situation was a "unique circumstance."
OneWeb has an unspecified number of employees in Baikonur supervising the launch, and the business had hoped that it would go through so that they could depart safely.
McLaughlin said per New Scientist that OneWeb places a high priority on safety and technological security. The optimal conclusion would have been for the satellites to launch, he continued.
However, Rogozin's demands make the launch extremely doubtful. OneWeb was "surprised" by the insistence that satellites not be used for military purposes, according to McLaughlin, because many satellites serve both civilian and military purposes.
Furthermore, it appears that the UK government has ruled out selling its part in the corporation.
"There's no negotiation on OneWeb: the UK Government is not selling its share," said Kwasi Kwarteng, the UK's Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in a statement on Twitter. "We are in touch with other shareholders to discuss [the] next steps."
Since 2019, the French company Arianespace has launched over 400 satellites on 14 Soyuz rockets on behalf of OneWeb. This year, the corporation plans to launch five more satellites on Soyuz rockets from Baikonur to reach its primary operating objective of 648 spacecraft in orbit. All of the launches were paid for ahead of time.
According to McLaughlin, if Russia cancels the launch, the cost to OneWeb will be between $80 and $100 million, with a cost of $1.2 million per satellite.
It's unclear if OneWeb will receive their satellites back from Russia. Satellites for later launches have yet to be delivered, and those that have been built so far are safe and sound at a OneWeb plant in Florida. The status of the following five launches is likewise under doubt.
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