The US Department of defense has included Russia in the list of countries with which it is prohibited to conduct space launches. The ban will take effect from January 1, 2023, FreeNews writes with reference to the US Federal Register.
It is noted that since 2023 in the United States under the ban will be the use of Russian launch vehicles, as well as the implementation of commercial launches of satellites together with Russia. New restrictions are being imposed on satellites and their means of launching into orbit for the provision of satellite communications services. This list also includes China, North Korea, Iran, Syria, and Sudan.
At the same time, the Pentagon banned contracts with foreign countries to conduct commercial satellite services, as they “would create an unacceptable risk in the field of cybersecurity for the United States.”
In April, acting defense Minister Patrick Shanahan said that because of the actions of Russia and China, “space is no longer a refuge, but a battlefield.” At the same time, he said that Washington does not intend to just watch, but will act.
In 2019, commercial launch of the American technological satellite MEV-1 (Mission Extension Vehicle 1) on the Proton-M rocket is to be held.
