[SN] Biden: Sanctions will “degrade” Russian space program

[Orionid]

U.S. and Europe say space cooperation with Russia not affected yet by Ukraine crisis
by Jeff Foust — February 23, 2022 [SN]


A commercial satellite image released Feb. 22 shows Russian forces gathering near the town of Mazyr, Belarus, less than 40 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Credit: Satellite image ©2022 Maxar Technologies

WASHINGTON — American and European officials said Feb. 23 that space cooperation with Russia remains unaffected even as that country continues to threaten a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

During a panel discussion about space diplomacy organized by George Washington University’s Space Policy Institute, U.S. State Department officials said cooperation between NASA and the Russian space agency Roscosmos on the International Space Station had not been altered, at least so far, by the Ukraine crisis.
https://spacenews.com/u-s-and-europe-say-space-cooperation-with-russia-not-affected-yet-by-ukraine-crisis/

Biden: Sanctions will “degrade” Russian space program
by SpaceNews Staff — February 24, 2022 [SN]

This is a developing story. Follow @SpaceNews_Inc for the latest and check back for updates.


U.S. President Joe Biden speaking Feb. 24 from the White House. Credit: Screenshot of Whitehouse.gov video

WASHINGTON — Russia’s space program won’t be shielded from sanctions the United States is imposing in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, U.S. President Joe Biden said Thursday afternoon.

“We estimate that we will cut off more than half of Russia’s high-tech imports, and it will strike a blow to their ability to continue to modernize their military. It will degrade their aerospace industry, including their space program,” Biden said in a White House address outlining new sanctions. 

Source: https://spacenews.com/biden-sanctions-will-degrade-russian-space-program/

Prezydent USA: rosyjski sektor kosmiczny odczuje zachodnie sankcje
SPACE24 26.02.2022 11:42

(...) „Szacujemy, że odetniemy ponad połowę importu zaawansowanych technologii do Rosji, co uderzy w ich zdolność do dalszej modernizacji sił zbrojnych" - stwierdził prezydent USA, Joe Biden, w trakcie prezentacji pakietu sankcji wymierzonych w Rosję bezpośrednio w odpowiedzi na dokonaną przez to państwo inwazję na Ukrainę. "Uderzy to w ich przemysł lotniczy, jak również program kosmiczny” – powiedział w wystąpieniu w Białym Domu, nakreślając jeden z głównych wymiarów proponowanych restrykcji. (...)
https://space24.pl/polityka-kosmiczna/swiat/prezydent-usa-rosyjski-sektor-kosmiczny-odczuje-zachodnie-sankcje

Previous invasion of Ukraine had serious repercussions for the space sector
by Debra Werner — February 25, 2022 [SN]


Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Roscosmos Director Dmitry Rogozin at the Kremlin in February 2019. Credit: Kremlin.ru

SAN FRANCISCO – While Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could have important space policy ramifications for the United States, the impact is not likely to be as significant as shifts that have already occurred in the wake Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Source: https://spacenews.com/ukraine-impact-on-u-s-russia-space-cooperation/

[Orionid]

ESA to continue cooperation but monitoring situation following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
by Andrew Jones — February 25, 2022 [SN]


The International Space Station in November 2021. Credit: NASA

HELSINKI — ESA is continuing work on the International Space Station and ExoMars programs in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but monitoring the situation, the agency’s director-general said Friday.

“Notwithstanding the current conflict, civil space cooperation remains a bridge,” Josef Aschbacher tweeted.

Source: https://spacenews.com/esa-to-continue-cooperation-but-monitoring-situation-following-russias-invasion-of-ukraine/

[Orionid]

ULA: Russia sanctions not expected to disrupt Atlas 5 operations
by Sandra Erwin — February 25, 2022 [SN]


The Atlas 5 carrying Mars 2020 lifts off from Cape Canaveral July 30. Credit: Craig Vander Galien for SpaceNews
ULA's RD-180 engines are stored in the company's factory in Decatur, Alabama

WASHINGTON — The Russian rocket engines that United Launch Alliance needs to complete the remaining launches of the Atlas 5 are stored in the United States. The company said the operation of the vehicle will not be affected by the economic sanctions imposed on Russia by the Biden administration in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Source: https://spacenews.com/ula-russia-sanctions-not-expected-to-disrupt-atlas-5-operations/

[Orionid]

ULA: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine won’t impact remaining Atlas 5 missions
February 25, 2022 Stephen Clark [SFN]


File photo of an Atlas 5 rocket on its launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now

United Launch Alliance said Friday that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will have no impact on the company’s Atlas 5 rocket program, which has 25 missions left to fly with Russian-made main engines before retirement.

Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/02/25/ula-says-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-wont-impact-remaining-atlas-5-missions/

[Orionid]

Biden announces sanctions targeting Russia’s space program
February 24, 2022 Stephen Clark [SFN]


President Biden announced new sanctions against Russia on Thursday afternoon. Credit: White House

President Biden said Thursday the United States is imposing new sanctions against Russia, including measures that will “degrade” the country’s space program, in response to Russian military attacks on Ukraine.

Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/02/24/biden-announces-sanctions-targeting-russias-space-program/

[Orionid]

Russia halts Soyuz launches from French Guiana
by Jeff Foust — February 26, 2022 [SN]


Arianespace has launched 13 missions for OneWeb, expanding the operator's network to 428 satellites. © 2022 ESA-CNES-Arianespace / Optique vidéo du CSG - S MARTIN

WASHINGTON — Roscosmos announced Feb. 26 that it is halting cooperation with Europe on Soyuz launches from French Guiana and withdrawing its personnel from the launch site in response to European sanctions for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Source: https://spacenews.com/russia-halts-soyuz-launches-from-french-guiana/

[Orionid]

Russia suspends Soyuz launch operations in French Guiana
February 26, 2022 Stephen Clark [SFN]


A Soyuz ST-B rocket takes off from the Guiana Space Center on Feb. 10 with 34 new OneWeb internet satellites. Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/P. Piron

Blaming European sanctions enacted after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Russian space agency said Saturday it is recalling dozens of engineers and technicians from French Guiana and suspending Soyuz rocket operations there, grounding a pair of European navigation satellites previously set for launch in early April.

Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/02/26/russia-suspends-soyuz-launch-operations-in-french-guiana/

[Orionid]

The Russian Invasion Touches Outer Space
By Marina Koren FEBRUARY 27, 2022, 8 AM ET [The Atlantic]

The long-held idea that earthly conflict can’t tarnish something as lofty as space travel is only a platitude, not a certainty.


A view of the International Space Station from a departing Russian capsule (Alexander Nemenov / AFP / Getty)

This week, as Russia unleashed a violent assault on Ukraine, the director of Russia’s space agency went on a rant. After President Joe Biden announced on Thursday new sanctions against Russia that would, among other effects, “degrade their aerospace industry, including their space program,” Dmitry Rogozin responded with a series of tweets about the International Space Station: “Do you want to destroy our cooperation on the ISS? If you block cooperation with us, who will save the ISS from an uncontrolled deorbit and a fall on the United States or Europe? … The ISS doesn’t fly over Russia, so the risks are all yours.”

Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2022/02/russia-ukraine-international-space-station/622939/

[Orionid]

Satellite imaging companies increase profile as they track Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
by Sandra Erwin — February 27, 2022 [SN]


Satellite image released by Maxar Feb. 27 shows a convoy of Russian military vehicles northeast of Ivankiv, Ukraine, and moving toward Kyiv. Credit: Maxar Technologies

Scott Herman, CEO of Cognitive Space: 'You don't get a better opportunity than this to show how remote sensing can support media storytelling'

WASHINGTON – Images collected by commercial satellites have chronicled the buildup of Russian forces on Ukraine’s borders and the ongoing invasion, providing intelligence that previously was only available from government sources.

Source: https://spacenews.com/satellite-imaging-companies-increase-profile-as-they-track-russias-invasion-of-ukraine/

[Orionid]

RUSSIA SUSPENDS SOME SPACE COOPERATION WITH U.S., EUROPE
By Marcia Smith | Posted: February 26, 2022 11:54 pm ET | Last Updated: February 27, 2022 7:53 am ET [spacepolicy online.com]


Soyuz launch pad at the Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana. Credit: ESA

U.S. and European sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine were expected to impact Russia’s space program, but Russia is pushing back today by suspending launches of its Soyuz rocket from Europe’s launch base in French Guiana and stopping cooperation with NASA on a planetary science mission. But the two major cooperative programs, the International Space Station and ExoMars, appear to still be on track. Whether that will remain true in the days and weeks ahead is difficult to forecast.

Source: https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/russia-suspends-some-space-cooperation-with-u-s-europe/

[Orionid]

NASA official says U.S.-Russian partnership continues on space station
February 28, 2022 Stephen Clark [SFN]


An astronaut on a departing Crew Dragon spacecraft captured this image of the International Space Station in November. The U.S. segment is situated in the upper left of this view, and the Russian segment is on the lower right. Credit: NASA

Kathy Lueders, head of NASA’s human spaceflight operations division, said Monday that joint activities on the International Space Station are continuing amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, including preparations for the return of NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei to Earth on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft March 30.

Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/02/28/nasa-official-says-u-s-russian-partnership-continuing-on-international-space-station/

[Orionid]

EOS Data Analytics issues urgent plea for imagery of Ukraine
by Debra Werner — March 1, 2022 [SN]


Capella Space shared synthetic aperture radar imagery of the Belarus-Urkaine border Feb. 24. Unlike electro-optical imagery, synthetic aperture radar data can be acquired at night and through clouds. Credit: Capella Space

Polyakov: Ukraine needs data, not relocation offers for its engineers

SAN FRANCISCO — EOS Data Analytics is asking Earth observation companies worldwide to share up-to-date optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery of Ukraine and neighboring countries to assist Ukrainian military and humanitarian efforts.

Source: https://spacenews.com/eos-plea-for-imagery-of-ukraine/

Russia looks to China for collaboration in space but faces isolation over Ukraine invasion
by Andrew Jones — March 1, 2022 [SN]


A render depicting phase 3 of a planned joint China-Russia International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) in the 2030s. Credit: CNSA

HELSINKI — Roscosmos is looking to China as a supplier of vital space industry components and a partner in missions following the invasion of Ukraine, but sanctions could still heavily impact any new plans.

Russian space agency head Dmitry Rogozin told Russian media Feb. 26 that sanctions imposed by Western countries would hit supplies of microelectronics necessary for spacecraft.

Source: https://spacenews.com/russia-looks-to-china-for-collaboration-in-space-but-faces-isolation-over-ukraine-invasion/

[Orionid]

Satellite images show Russia’s troop movements but can they reveal intent?
by Sandra Erwin — March 2, 2022 [SN]


Satellite image collected by BlackSky over Vasylkiv Air Base, Ukraine, Feb. 28. Credit: BlackSky

Kari Bingen: Commercial imagery is 'a competitive advantage we have vis-a-vis Russia and China'

WASHINGTON — A steady stream of imagery from commercial spy satellites provides extraordinary intelligence about Russian troop advances in Ukraine and attacks on Ukrainian cities. But as the conflict grinds on, intelligence analysts are still being challenged to figure out Russian intent, experts said March 2.

Source: https://spacenews.com/satellite-images-show-russias-troop-movements-but-can-they-reveal-intent/

[Orionid]

Russian sanctions throw South Korean satellite missions into uncertainty
by Park Si-soo — March 2, 2022 [SN]


South Korea’s CAS500-2 remote sensing satellite is seen at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute’s manufacturing facility. It’s set to launch in the first half of this year on a Soyuz rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome. But the launch is expected to be delayed due to sanctions on Russia. Credit: Korea Aerospace Research Institute

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea, at least for now, is pushing forward with its planned launch of two satellites on Russian rockets this year. Still, it doesn’t rule out the possibility that the missions could be delayed due to sanctions imposed on Russia for invading Ukraine.

Source: https://spacenews.com/russian-sanctions-throw-south-korean-satellite-missions-into-uncertainty/

[Orionid]

“Nothing to share”: South Korean firm turns down Ukrainian request for satellite imagery
by Park Si-soo and Brian Berger — March 3, 2022. This story was updated at 9:40 p.m. EST. [SN]


Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands hotel is seen in this optical satellite image captured by South Korea’s SI Imaging Services (SIIS). Ukraine vice prime minister recently asked SIIS and seven other remote sensing companies to provide synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery of Ukraine and neighboring countries to assist Ukrainian military fighting against Russian forces. SIIS president turned down the request, saying it has “nothing to share.” Credit: SI Imaging Services

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s Earth observation company SI Imaging Services (SIIS) turned down a request from Ukraine’s minister of digital transformation to share satellite imagery of Ukraine and neighboring countries to assist Ukrainian efforts to repel Russia’s invasion.

Source: https://spacenews.com/nothing-to-share-south-korean-firm-turns-down-ukrainian-request-for-satellite-imagery/