Angosat-2 Satellite Launch Disrupted Due To Airbus Actions - Russian Ambassador To Angola

Angosat-2 Satellite Launch Disrupted Due to Airbus Actions - Russian Ambassador to Angola

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd May, 2022) The launch of the Angolan communication satellite AngoSat-2, which was initially scheduled for March, was disrupted due to European aircraft manufacturer Airbus' refusal to supply parts for the device, Russian Ambassador to Angola Vladimir Tararov said in an interview with Sputnik.

A space industry source told Sputnik last June that the production of AngoSat-2 in Russia had hit a snag due to lack of US permit for delivering a payload module that contains US electronic components.

"We have scheduled the launch (of the Angosat-2 satellite) for March, and we tried to do it � in fact, everything was already prepared in order to fulfill our obligations on time with the contract. But, unfortunately, our Western partners, apparently jealous of our success in the space industry, began to create obstacles for us," Tararov said.

Some parts for the Angosat-2 satellite were supposed to be manufactured by France's Airbus, but in violation of the contract, it refused to supply ready-made parts at the last moment, as well as transfer the technical documentation to the Russian side, citing US sanctions, the diplomat said.

"Unfortunately, we once again saw a desire to interfere with our cooperation, to somehow prevent it from taking place ... Airbus had to supply minor, but quite important parts for the satellite ... It did not supply them, although it could have done it, because they were already ready. This means that if we do not have these details, we cannot launch it," Tararov said.

Then, the Russian side requested technical documentation from Airbus, but the company refused to provide it as well, which made it much more difficult to fully test this satellite, the diplomat added.

"The French side had time to deliver the parts before the imposition of sanctions, despite the fact that they had already been announced. I specifically looked at the document on the imposition of sanctions, it was written there that if the contract was concluded before they were introduced, then it can be fulfilled to the end. But it (Airbus) still refused to do so," he said.

Now, the necessary parts are being manufactured by Russia, with� the launch of the satellite planned in the near future � in September, if there are some difficulties in testing, the ambassador said.