The UK bypassed the US anti-Russian sanctions and resolved the issue with Moscow about the electronics for the Spectr-UF space telescope that had fallen under restrictions, Mikhail Sachkov, deputy director of the Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told RIA Novosti.
“Samples of flight products were received from the UK – electronics blocks for the radiation receiver,” he said, recalling that before that there were problems with their supply, which had to change the design of the instruments in order to use only components approved for delivery.
He noted that the supply of all equipment will be completed by 2022 in accordance with the current contract.
In 2014, after the introduction of Western sanctions, it became known about the problems with the supply of electronics to Russia by the E2V company from the UK to the Spektr-UF receivers. The reason was the use in the equipment of American parts that fall under the requirements of ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) – rules for the export of goods and services of defense significance.
According to the Federal Space Program for 2016-2025, the launch of Spectra-UF is scheduled for 2024. The space observatory is designed for imaging and spectroscopy in the ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The closest analogue of Spectra-UV is the American Hubble.
