Space News by Caleb Henry — July 12, 2017
WASHINGTON — The White House is objecting to language in a defense authorization bill that would prevent the Pentagon from buying satellite services from spacecraft launched on Russian rockets.
In a July 12 statement, the White House said it “strongly objects” to a provision in the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act the House Armed Services Committee approved late last month that would halt DoD’s ability to buy such services even though commercial satellite operators regularly rely on Russian rockets to launch their spacecraft.
The provision prohibits the Defense Department from entering into contracts that would use satellites designed, manufactured or launched by a “covered foreign country,” meaning Russia, China, North Korea or any country considered to be a state sponsor of terrorism. Russia and China have active space industries, but manufacture only a small number of satellites for international customers; U.S. and European satellite manufacturers dominate that market. But in launch, Russia orbits a substantial number of telecommunications satellites that commercial operators use to serve customers, including the U.S. government.
More:
http://spacenews.com/white-house-objects-to-ndaa-provision-that-would-prevent-dod-from-using-commercial-satellites-launched-on-russian-rockets/
