Russia places extraordinary demands on OneWeb prior to satellite launch
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I mean, i feel bad for one web...and also i hope this leads to the project being scrapped for no viability (finally). but since there is a government backing it and they (governments in general) are incapable of seeing when something should be let go, i am not keeping my hopes up.
I can see that competition is valuable... but one web just can't compete and trying to compete as it is...way too expensive
I can see that competition is valuable... but one web just can't compete and trying to compete as it is...way too expensive
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It seems that the Russians are willingly digging their own grave economically. How can they be trusted by international investors after this, if this is their response to the current situation? They MUST know how this, yet they seem dead set on continuing down this path.
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Well, I guess that pretty much ends Roscosmos as a commercial launch option.
On the positive side, Kourou should now have a launch site they can convert to support A6 launches relatively easily. You know, to support the higher cadence expected of that rocket.
On the positive side, Kourou should now have a launch site they can convert to support A6 launches relatively easily. You know, to support the higher cadence expected of that rocket.
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And depending on who you speak with the criminals are everyone from China, to Russia to the EU to the USA.
Russia was a good business partner and space partner for decades after the cold war, they have changed, but you can't let that throw shade on the good that came of it in the past. But now they are not someone we should continue with no
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Wow, Russia just won't stop with demands of other Governments that it wouldn't accept for itself.
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Well, if they dont want to use SpaceX then it looks like OneWeb may have to rebrand to 0.68Web
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And at this point, there's no way those satellites are getting out of Russia to be launched anywhere else.
And you have to give the Russian's points for balls: roll the launcher to the launch pad before making the unreasonable demands, so that Oneweb staff on site can't even do something to disable the satellites sufficiently that they can't be examined for tech theft. (not that hasn't already happened)
And you have to give the Russian's points for balls: roll the launcher to the launch pad before making the unreasonable demands, so that Oneweb staff on site can't even do something to disable the satellites sufficiently that they can't be examined for tech theft. (not that hasn't already happened)
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I'd feel worse for someone who isn't dumping hundreds of satellites at 1000km with no decommissioning plan and a history of serious mismanagement. Of course the space wing of the government that has already had to bail them out is openly complaining about having to do collision avoidance with Starlink, so I'm sure we'll see this handled with the appropriate care /s.
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I don’t know what Russia has been charging OneWeb for their Soyuz launches so far, so difficult to say anything about the long term viability of their business model, but I don’t see why launches by SpaceX would necessarily be a lot more expensive than Soyuz. I was under the impression that Soyuz launches are already more expensive than SpaceX’s standard rate.
SpaceX already have a massive head start roll out wise with their starlink service and are already accepting paying customers globally for it. They know that their internal launch cost is substantially cheaper than what they are charging customers (such as a potential launch for OneWeb) so they also know that they have an economic advantage. With that in mind, would they necessarily charge OneWeb more than they would charge any other launch customers, just to spite them?
-Edit- clarification
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Which they have with the Ariane family of rockets.
I think what you need to be saying is "that is why Europe needs independent and affordable access to space." OneWeb wouldn't have been launching with Roscosmos if the wait time and cost to launch on an Ariane weren't so bad.
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Well, at least there is no denying by the Russians that we tried to cooperate with them. Untill their invasion of Ukraine. The West has done its best to engage in positive ways with Russia. That's over now.
I say if Ukraine makes it out of this mess as a free country let's make them an ESA member and invest in their space sector. They sure have a bunch of smart engineers and rocket guys there.
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Do business with corrupt oligarchs, get fucked.
Womp womp.
"And while SpaceX may agree to launch a competitor's satellites, the price would not be cheap. Nor would OneWeb likely want to enrich the company trying to better its own satellite network."
I doubt SpaceX would gouge them - they'd probably charge the same they charge everyone else.
Womp womp.
"And while SpaceX may agree to launch a competitor's satellites, the price would not be cheap. Nor would OneWeb likely want to enrich the company trying to better its own satellite network."
I doubt SpaceX would gouge them - they'd probably charge the same they charge everyone else.
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It didn't have to end like this. The ISS was meant to foster cooperation toward shared goals and a better future. It worked, too. For a time. But a small man's fears were greater than his vision and now he wants to set the world on fire.
He's no different than that man who murdered his children last weekend. Both men could have taken a different path.
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This is an interesting conundrum, because if Russians believe your position, then they can create a temporary economic boost by simply not paying back any of their debt and by eliminating all equity claims from foreign owners.
Normally this would create a death spiral, but investors have short memories and will come back for Russian bonds in the future (just like every other sovereign default). If done in coordination with China for future financing, could be an unprecedented geopolitical realignment.
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Rogozin is one of Putin's friends; there was an article on here not too long ago about how he's paid an absolutely outrageous salary/benefits for doing very little, while Roscosmos falls apart.
So he's probably one of the ones in the bunker: either as disconnected from reality as Putin is, or keeping his mouth shut because of how much he's benefited from being one of Putin's friends. And it sounds like he had only a tenuous grasp of situational practicalities to begin with.
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A lot of these issues could be ameliorated greatly by Blue Origin solving its production issues with BE-4. That would bring Vulcan into play, and with engines, perhaps even New Glenn.
Tory Bruno of ULA seems publicly optimistic about his company getting their first flight copies of the engine. What he's not commented on is the second set and beyond. Given the apparent work rate of BO, it is difficult to say when that might happen.
So, yeah, that leaves OneWeb in the position of having to pay SpaceX a premium price for the foreseeable future. That's got to leave a very sour taste in the mouths of their executives.
Tory Bruno of ULA seems publicly optimistic about his company getting their first flight copies of the engine. What he's not commented on is the second set and beyond. Given the apparent work rate of BO, it is difficult to say when that might happen.
So, yeah, that leaves OneWeb in the position of having to pay SpaceX a premium price for the foreseeable future. That's got to leave a very sour taste in the mouths of their executives.
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If that’s their only option, OneWeb could just as well call it quits. Electron can take a mass of 300 kg to LEO, which is _just_ enough for two OneWeb satellites, and that’s at a cost of 7.5 million dollars, so 127,5 million dollars for a group of 34 which is what now should’ve been launched by Soyuz. No way that is happening.
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I mean, I'm not sure what the current UK government is willing to concede.. BJ is not known for his predictability, or his sanity for that matter.
He's basically trump with a charming accent.
He's basically trump with a charming accent.
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We will never know what BJ's thoughts on this are, shouting "we got Brexit done!" and "levelling up!" at anyone who questions him will be his response.
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Yeah I know, but to be fair, the UK gov did sorta get a win on that one so......
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OneWeb should be like "Of course we won't..." and then the communication gets garbled so they miss the /s at the end.
We should start playing by their book: say something and do the exact opposite. Like when they promised not to invade Ukraine after turning in their nukes.
(edit: typos)
We should start playing by their book: say something and do the exact opposite. Like when they promised not to invade Ukraine after turning in their nukes.
(edit: typos)
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