(Roscosmos)
Roscosmos canceled the next launch of the Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with OneWeb satellites and stopped work on preparing five more such launches.
According to the Space agency, the decision is due to the lack of confirmation from Arianespace and OneWeb about the non-use of the constellation for military purposes.
The OneWeb program provides for the placement of 600 satellites in near-Earth space to create a global Internet network.
The devices have been launched into space since 2019 using Soyuz launch vehicles; a total of 428 satellites were launched.
Six more launches were expected this year to complete the deployment of the system.
Until now, all launches under the OneWeb program have proceeded as usual.
On March 5, the next launch of the Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with 36 OneWeb spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome was to take place.
However, a day before the launch, the Director of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, decided to remove the rocket from the launch pad and transport it to the assembly and test building for disassembly
The order also stopped all preparations for subsequent launches under the OneWeb program.
Such a decision was made due to the fact that Arianespace and OneWeb did not provide the Russian side with new guarantees that the OneWeb spacecraft constellation would not be used for military purposes.
Roscosmos did not elaborate on exactly how companies must prove that communications satellites will not be used by the military.
Another condition was the withdrawal of the British government from the shareholders of OneWeb. On March 3, 2022, the OneWeb Board of Directors voted to suspend all launches from Baikonur.
Source:
- Roscosmos: https://www.roscosmos.ru/34349/ (only accesible through a VPN)
- Spacenews: https://spacenews.com/oneweb-leaves-baikonur-cosmodrome-after-roscosmos-ultimatum/