|
Author
|
Topic: Kazakhstan blocking launches over debris zone
|
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 05-29-2012 01:29 PM
   
AFP reports that Kazakhstan, which hosts Russia's Baikonur cosmodrome, is blocking three upcoming Russian satellite launches because of a dispute over the drop zone for rocket debris. The first stages of the Soyuz rockets that were scheduled to launch a total of seven satellites were due to fall down over a region of north Kazakhstan that is only occasionally used as a drop zone for debris.Kazakhstan argues that in order for the zone to be used the two sides must sign an additional agreement to the leasing accord it has with Russia, the Kommersant daily and Interfax news agency reported. "Due to this we are simply unable to carry out not just our own but international obligations," a source in the Russian space agency Roscosmos told Kommersant. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 05-29-2012 01:33 PM
Space News reports that the two governments have been negotiating a treaty on acceptable drop zones for rocket stages since 2008. Kazakhstan has protested to Russia that launches into polar orbit carry the rockets over populated Kazakh territories and cannot be allowed without further negotiations. Kazcosmos said authority to launch into the affected areas is not part of Russia's $115 million annual lease of the Baikonur facility. |
music_space
Member Posts: 1179
From: Canada
Registered: Jul 2001
|
posted 05-31-2012 12:05 AM
If indeed polar-orbit Soyuz missions drop stages de facto over populated areas, isn't this an unacceptable situation for all parties, including international beneficiaries of such flights? |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 05-31-2012 06:42 AM
Not if they are collectors.
|
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 06-28-2012 07:09 PM
According to Anatoly Zak (RussianSpaceWeb.com), Kazakhstan is no longer blocking Russian satellite launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Arianespace confirms that a drop zone for the launch of MetOp-B satellite is now available and the mission will proceed on Sept. 19. Couple of other missions in the same direction are also good to go, according to the Russian media. |
Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
|
posted 06-28-2012 08:01 PM
Sounds like the only reason Kazakhstan does this is because they want something else, not necessarily because of their objection to the debris drop itself. If Kazakhstan were really ticked, they could always cut power to Baikonur once again, as they did a few times in the 1990s when the electric bill wasn't paid on time. |
MrSpace86
Member Posts: 1618
From: Gardner, KS, USA
Registered: Feb 2003
|
posted 06-29-2012 01:10 AM
They really did cut the lights out? Wow. That place sounds so awesome and fun. I wish it wasn't so far away  |
SkyMan1958
Member Posts: 867
From: CA.
Registered: Jan 2011
|
posted 06-29-2012 06:46 PM
One would assume that a healthy percentage of the workers at the Baikonur facility are Kazakhis, so that Kazakhstan also has a fairly high motivation to move things along smoothly. |
advertisement