OneWeb will not be able to give, at the request of Roscosmos, guarantees that its satellites will not be used for military purposes the day before launch, and Roscosmos has the right to arrest them. This was stated by Andrey Ionin, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Cosmonautics named after K.E. Tsiolkovsky, candidate of technical sciences.
“My prediction is that OneWeb will not be able to give guarantees, since it already has concluded contracts. Even in a normal situation, such guarantees are difficult to give. Therefore, I see no chance, I think that there will be no launch, ”Ionin said.
Earlier, Roskosmos warned OneWeb that if it does not provide a guarantee of the non-use of its satellites for military purposes before 21.30 March 4, then the Soyuz-2.1b rocket will be removed from the launch, the satellites will be dismantled.
The expert expressed confidence that the satellites of the OneWeb system can indeed work for military purposes. “All communication systems, like surveillance systems, are dual-purpose. For the same Iridium, the anchor consumers are the US intelligence agencies, ”he explained.
In this situation, Ionin believes that Roskosmos has the right to arrest the supplied satellites.
“There are 36 devices, they should at least be arrested, they should not be returned. Now we have 36 opportunities to disassemble these satellites and study their stuffing,” says Ionin.
The Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle with the Fregat upper stage and British OneWeb communications satellites were installed on the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The start should take place on March 5 at 01.41 Moscow time.
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