European Space Agency discusses replacing Soyuz with SpaceX rockets
Miscellaneous / / August 15, 2022
This is not the first time that a Russian state corporation has lost a longtime partner.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has begun negotiations with the American company SpaceX to replace Russian Soyuz rockets with Falcon 9, writes Reuters.
The fact is that due to sanctions against Russia, many foreign companies have lost access to Soyuz. For this reason, ESA is considering alternative options. Among them are cooperation with Japanese and Indian space companies, as well as with the French Arianespace, which is considered one of SpaceX's main competitors. According to ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, cooperation with Elon Musk's company will be the most efficient.
Aschbacher notes that negotiations are at an early stage. The parties need to make sure that the interfaces of satellites and launch vehicles are compatible. In addition, it is important to check that the payload launched into space will not be subjected to unfamiliar types of vibrations.
This spring, some former clients of Roskosmos have already established cooperation with SpaceX. If ESA finds a common language with the American company, then it will be a big success for the Falcon missile manufacturer.
Recall that in March the British company OneWeb concluded an agreement with SpaceX, thanks to which, after the termination of the contract with Roscosmos, the organization retained the opportunity to complete the launch of satellites to ensure secure industrial communications around the world.
In March 2022, the former head of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin informedthat the state corporation will not launch a rocket with OneWeb satellites without confidence that they will be used only for civilian purposes. Soon, OneWeb's board of directors voted to suspend satellite launches from Baikonur. As a result, cooperation between Roskosmos and the British company ceased.
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