Russia's Arktika Satellite Network to Be Launched in 2017 Despite Sanctions

The Western sanctions will not affect the Russian Arktika project because the design of satellites is originally based on domestic technologies, according to Sergei Lemeshevsky of the Lavochkin Research and Production Association.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The first satellite of the Arktika satellite network will be launched in 2017 despite the Western anti-Russia sanctions and revision of the Federal Space Program for 2016-2025, system developer's acting director general said Monday.

"The full transition to the Russian components will not change [our] plans on the Arktika project: the first satellite is expected to be launched in 2017. Almost all components and devices have been received, the rest will be received in 2016," Sergei Lemeshevsky of the Lavochkin Research and Production Association told RIA Novosti.

According to Lemeshevsky, the Western sanctions will not affect the Arktika project because the design of satellites is originally based on domestic technologies.

"At least two satellites will be constantly operating as part of the space network in order to provide the necessary coverage," Lemeshevsky noted.

The Arktika satellite network has been designed to monitor the weather and environment changes in the in the polar regions and the Arctic Ocean.

The Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) signed the contract to manufacture the first stage of the multi-purpose Arktika satellite network with the Lavochkin NPO in 2012. The works were set to be completed in November 2015, but due to numerous revisions of the Federal Space Program for 2016-2025, the launch of the first satellite had been postponed until 2017.