Russia could significantly increase the number of commercial satellite launches if a deal with the United States on protecting space technology is ratified.
The Russian government on Thursday will consider ratifying the deal between Russian and the United States on ways to protect technology related to launches from Russia’s Plesetsk and Svobodny cosmodromes and the Kapustin Yar Poligon, in relation to which the United States holds a license from January 31 2000.
The deal between the Russian and U.S. governments is in Russia’s interests, the government information service said in a press release. The issue concerns the launch of U.S. commercial satellites from Russian military cosmodromes and legal guarantees on maintaining the inviolability of technology. Implementing the agreement would have a positive impact on research and investment activity in Russia’s space sector and would not require additional spending from the federal budget.
Article six of the agreement envisages that space apparatus, equipment and technical data would not be looked at while going through customs or during its time in Russia. This article is dependent on foreign partners providing cargo manifestos and written confirmation that there is nothing not relating to space within the cargo to the pertinent Rus-sian bodies.
A similar three-sided agreement, with the participation of Kazakhstan, on the Baikonur cosmodrome is currently being considered for ratification, the press release notes
