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- Contract for Bangabandhu Satellite tv for pc-2 signed in Feb this 12 months
- Russia’s Glavkosmos chosen to fabricate and launch the spacecraft
- Western sanctions depart Moscow unable to proceed making satellites
- Authorities say they’re observing the Russia-Ukraine battle and the bans intently
With Western sanctions to punish Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine in place, the well timed launching of Bangabandhu Satellite tv for pc-2 by Bangladesh with the assistance of a Russian agency has change into unsure, in response to officers.
The federal government has now adopted a “wait and see” place over firing the satellite tv for pc because the Russia-Ukraine battle exhibits no signal of coming to an finish anytime quickly.
“We needed to launch the satellite tv for pc earlier than the following nationwide election in late 2023. However the battle has jeopardised the plan,” Shahjahan Mahmood, chairman of the state-owned Bangladesh Satellite tv for pc Firm Restricted (BSCL), advised The Enterprise Commonplace.
He stated the authorities have requested them to attend and observe the scenario.
The BSCL and Glavkosmos, a subsidiary of Russia’s state-owned house company Roscosmos, signed a cooperation contract in February this 12 months for making and launching Bangladesh’s second satellite tv for pc.
Shahjahan Mahmood advised TBS that there was no progress for the reason that contract signing, whereas numerous BSCL officers on situation of anonymity stated the mission won’t make any headway till the Western sanctions are lifted.
Particular chips are required to construct and launch satellites. Moscow is unable to import the chips as a result of sanctions. Moreover, there are bars on world monetary transactions with Moscow, making Russia’s isolation on earth additionally broadening out into house.
Aside from manufacturing and launching the satellite tv for pc into orbit, Bangladesh’s contract with Russia covers growing satellite tv for pc floor stations for buying earth remark knowledge, business orbital flights and consultations.
The primary activity of the satellite tv for pc might be observing completely different elements of the nation from house. Officers stated Bangladesh wants the satellite tv for pc because the nation lately has reclaimed an unlimited swathe within the Bay that requires monitoring.
In addition they stated the satellite tv for pc will assist higher predict floods and purchase knowledge relating to agriculture.
In accordance with the BSCL, the estimated value of the second satellite tv for pc is Tk3,707 crore.
In 2018, Bangladesh launched Bangabandhu Satellite tv for pc-1 via the European aerospace producer Thales Alenia Area. The making and launching of the satellite tv for pc value the nation round Tk3,000 crore.
Was Russia the fitting selection?
For launching the satellite tv for pc, Bangladesh obtained a number of proposals from completely different European and American corporations, together with the Germany-based Airbus Defence and Area.
In January this 12 months, the USA warned its chip trade beforehand to be ready for brand new sanctions on chip exports to Russia.
In June 2021, Dmitry Rogozin, head of Russia’s state-owned house company Roscosmos, advised Moscow that Russia was unable to launch some satellites as a consequence of worldwide restrictions on chip imports.
The USA and Europe imposed sanctions on Russia following its annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Russia’s state-owned information company TASS quoted Rogozin as saying, “We’ve got sufficient rockets. However we’re not able to ship them into house.”
However Bangladesh picked the Russian house agency, brushing apart growing issues over a Russia-Ukraine battle.
Mustafa Jabbar, minister of posts, telecommunications & data expertise, stated the federal government is now observing the scenario.
“Following the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine battle, we despatched Moscow some queries as to whether or not they would be capable to manufacture the satellite tv for pc for us. They’ve replied to a few of our inquiries and a few are nonetheless pending,” he advised TBS on Tuesday.
After the contract signing in February, the minister stated the federal government selected Russia as the choice appeared to be one of the best for Bangladesh.
“The federal government has determined to implement the mission via the Russian Federation and it’s mounted. Russia has enormous expertise and abilities on this area,” he advised TBS.
“I feel Russia is your best option for the expertise we are actually going for,” he added.
Requested whether or not it was attainable to have contracts with a number of producers on the identical time, Mustafa Jabbar replied within the damaging.
He stated the federal government can’t signal a second memorandum of cooperation (MoC) with others whereas having such a contract with the Russian agency.
Bangladesh was already working late
In accordance with the political dedication of the ruling Awami League, the second satellite tv for pc is meant to make round-ups in house orbit earlier than 2024.
For Bangabandhu Satellite tv for pc-1, the buying settlement with the French firm befell 30 months previous to its launch from the US. The memorandum of understanding had been signed even earlier.
However when the nation signed the contract with Russia for Bangabandhu Satellite tv for pc-2, some 20 months have been left for the manufacturing and launching of the satellite tv for pc.
In different phrases, the mission may already miss the nationwide polls deadline even when the Russia-Ukraine battle had not damaged out.
Minister Mustafa Jabbar agrees that there has already been a delay. “If the battle didn’t occur, we’d have been capable of full 60%-70% of the work earlier than the following nationwide election.”
OneWeb, a satellite tv for pc Web firm partly owned by the British authorities, in March this 12 months cancelled an upcoming satellite tv for pc launch utilizing a Russian rocket and suspended all future launches that relied on Russia.
The British agency subsequently signed a take care of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, formally Area Exploration Applied sciences Corp, to offer launch companies later this 12 months.
Like OneWeb, another nations have been turning away from Russia following the barrage of sanctions by the West on Moscow. In retaliation, Russia halted deliveries and successfully seized property from Western clients.
The Russian retaliatory measures, nevertheless, have opened the door for US and European corporations similar to SpaceX, Rocket Lab USA Inc and Arianespace SA to return into the scene.
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