UK-backed OneWeb To Use Rival SpaceX Rockets After Russian Ban (theguardian.com) 40
OneWeb, the satellite company part-owned by the British state, is turning to Elon Musk's SpaceX for help after it was barred from using Russian rockets to launch its latest orbiters. From a report: Under the arrangement, the communications firm will partner with SpaceX for its first launches later this year, adding to the 428 micro-satellites it already has in low-earth orbit. OneWeb and SpaceX did not disclose the terms of the launch arrangement. The company quotes a standard price of $67m to launch a Falcon 9 rocket â" up from $62m earlier this year, "to account for excessive levels of inflation." The 12% increase is the first in nearly six years. OneWeb was forced to abandon its plans to launch on one of Russia's Soyuz rockets earlier this month, after Dmitry Rogozin, the head of the Russian space agency, demanded the satellites not be used for military purposes and the British government halt its financial backing.
They're the only launcher with excess capacity (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Everyone else is booked up, since they need to construct the rockets to perform the launch. Only SpaceX can just reuse one they have. Now, they do have to build the second stage, but that takes far less time than the booster.
Something tells me that Spacex kicked in the afterburners some weeks back.
Now the question is - what about Starship. Spacex should be able to clean up in the present situation, and hopefully Russia understands that Putin gave Spacex and the US a big huge, gift - How many more countries using Roscosmos will now switch over.
If nothing else, this is a demonstration of the increasing instability in dealing with a oligarchy that is expansionist. Fine reliable rockets the Russkies have. But they elect leade
Re: They're the only launcher with excess capacity (Score:2)
But but but - I thought reusable rockets were an impossible pipe dream, and wouldnâ(TM)t make economic sense even if they existed?
Re: (Score:2)
But but but - I thought reusable rockets were an impossible pipe dream, and wouldnâ(TM)t make economic sense even if they existed?
I have absolutely no idea what you wrote has to do with what I wrote.
Re: (Score:2)
Elect?
Yes. Putin was elected in 2018 with about 67% of the vote. Independent polling roughly matched the actual vote.
2018 Russian presidential election [wikipedia.org]
Re: (Score:2)
Of course, many of the candidates standing against Putin and his friends were in jail or disappeared, making it somewhat difficult to vote for them.
Re: (Score:2)
Of course, many of the candidates standing against Putin and his friends were in jail or disappeared, making it somewhat difficult to vote for them.
The only significant candidate banned from running was Alexei Navalny [wikipedia.org]. When he was included in the independent polling, Putin still won.
Russia is a very flawed democracy, but it is still a democracy.
Would Putin dispose of democracy to stay in power? Probably. But he doesn't need to because he is popular enough to win semi-legitimate elections.
Re: (Score:2)
Of course, many of the candidates standing against Putin and his friends were in jail or disappeared, making it somewhat difficult to vote for them.
The only significant candidate banned from running was Alexei Navalny [wikipedia.org]. When he was included in the independent polling, Putin still won.
Russia is a very flawed democracy, but it is still a democracy.
Would Putin dispose of democracy to stay in power? Probably. But he doesn't need to because he is popular enough to win semi-legitimate elections.
I have long said that the Russian people have bad boy syndrome. A nation's version of the women who inexplicably choose men who are bad for them.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
And USA has daddy issues. The people getting elected just getting older.
I'd take that before people like Stalin and Polonium Putin.
There is an element of ageism in pop culture and it's grip on some people, even in the media.
I've seen diverse trios of young women on the opinion shows spout about how old white men are all racist with no trace of irony.
Damn - the trifecta of prejudice! Making a racist, sexist and ageist statement to criticize people based on age, sex, and skin color.
But back to those old men who are president of the US. There really isn't any reason to
Re: (Score:2)
But he doesn't need to because he is popular enough to win semi-legitimate elections.
Is that like being a little bit pregnant?
Re: (Score:2)
The only significant candidate banned from running was Alexei Navalny. When he was included in the independent polling, Putin still won.
If I lived in Russia under Putin I wouldn't believe that a poll was independent. I'd be afraid that how I answered it would affect my life.
Re: (Score:1)
Not hard when state media supports you and election financing laws all but ban any competition.
Roscosmos screwed up (Score:2)
SpaceX having capacity is a major factor, but that's only a short-term factor. This was a short- AND a long-term screwup by Roscosmos to cut off services and product. I think a majority of the reason for USA (ULA) using Russia's RD-180 engines (or whatever else that might have even vaguely gone up in a relatively straight line) was to have a buyer for any rocket motors they might be willing to sell, for not much difference of a reason than there would suddenly be US civilian government buyer for weapons-gra
SpaceX wins, Arianespace losses (again) (Score:1)
I would guess OneWeb is going to have to write off the 36 satellites that was sitting on the top of the Soyuz in Russia (there is no way to get them back). Fortunately, they can manufacture (around) 2/day, so it will not take too long to be able to prepare for a future launch, but it is certainly not ideal to have to move to another platform.
Moving the launches SpaceX is going to be another thorn in the side of Arianespace, who has been the intermediary sending money to Russia, but now will be sending m
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
why cant they get it back, its property of oneweb. And roscosmos is breaking contract performing international theft, Dimitry should be on Interpol most wanted list.
If the sats are in Kazakstan, they could be also breaking Kazaks laws too.
Where are UKs lawyers?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
They could pay a contractor outside of Russia to drive some trucks in there and get it. The border isn't closed. Yet.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I expect someone will do it for the right amount of money. Or heck, they could just pay a Russian contractor a large stack of rubles to do it .
Re: (Score:2)
So broomsticks it is (Score:2)
Everybody already knew.
Re: (Score:2)
Everybody outside of Russia, anyway.
Huh? (Score:2)
"British state"?
Heh, will this cnn crap ever end?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
What's wrong with that?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
OneWeb was basically bankrupt and were bailed out by the UK government who owns a 42% share as a major shareholder.
Antitrust Defense (Score:2)
Most people thought Space/X wouldn't be interested in launching these, as this is a direct competitor to Starlink. However, by agreeing to do this, Space/X not only gets to annoy Russia, sell more profitable launches, but also be able to say that they're not taking advantage of their launching business to unfairly prop up their Starlink business, since they offer the same launch services to competitors.
Re: (Score:2)
They also get more money than from a usual launch as they will be offering the orbital insertion vehicle too (not just delivery to orbit).
Re: Antitrust Defense (Score:2)
Why does âoeorbital insertion vehicleâ sound so dirty?
Re: (Score:2)
> as this is a direct competitor to Starlink.
sort of (commercial, rather than consumer).
But Starling isn't so much about internet, as selling itself launches that pay for themselves.
Had there been a viable outside company to buy those internet launches, it probably would have been *more* profitable to just sell the launches then open capital on development and production.
hawk
Isn't OneWeb competing with SpaceX? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
They do not have to give a shitty deal, just economies of scale will be enough, given how many more satellites SpaceX will be having.. but of course in their own launches for cost purposes they only have to use the actual cost and no profit.
Re: (Score:2)
Not to mention that they can use the profit in what OneWeb pays them to pay for launching more Starlink.
Re: (Score:2)
Note that OneWeb as one understands it has special provision for carrying military traffic, which is one of the reasons Russia gae for refusing to launch them. Remember the UK government is underwriting OneWeb and this is one of the reasons.
I doubt Starlink will be giving priority access to the UK military so they are only partly in competition.