Roscosmos may allow private Russian space companies to use its production and testing facilities

MOSCOW. March 10 (Interfax) - The Russian State Space Corporation Roscosmos is discussing with Russian private space companies the possibility of permitting them to use Roscosmos' production and testing infrastructure, the corporation's head Dmitry Rogozin said.

"Divisions and enterprises of Roscosmos are engaged in dialogue with private space companies and startups via video link. At the center of such discussions is simplifying the procedure for licensing space activity and permitting private partners to use our production and testing facilities, as well as offering launch services on the most preferential terms," Rogozin said on Telegram.

On March 8, Rogozin pledged to extend unprecedented support to private Russian space companies amid Western sanctions.

"Dozens of private communication, meteorological observation and remote sensing spacecraft manufactured in Russia will be sent to target orbits before the end of this year. The Soyuz-2 launch vehicles which were withdrawn from the project to launch the British OneWeb satellite system will be used for that," Rogozin said on Tuesday.