Res Communis

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

From a Roscosmos press release (unofficial Google Translation):

09-07-2009 The Ministry of Industry and Trade: An introduction of customs duties on the import of GPS-receivers

Russia plans to Ban the customs duty on import of GPS-receivers. This will be done in order to move the masses in the Russian navigation system GLONASS /

Ministry of Industry and Trade Ministry is preparing a proposal to impose duties on imports into Russia GPS-receivers at a rate of 50%, said Deputy Minister Yury Borisov at a press conference on Wednesday. “At 50% will now raise customs duties on the GPS-receivers,” – said Yuri Borisov. He said such a decision is necessary for that to give way to Russian producers. In Minpromtorge Russian Interfax explained that the proposals for the introduction of such fees are contained in the draft decree of the Russian government on a comprehensive support system GLONASS. The project was aimed at harmonizing the Ministry offices.

It reminds agency Interfax «GLONASS – this is one of the priorities for the state programs. President Dmitry Medvedev has included in its list of the major topics discussed in mid-June issue of technical re-equipment of the country’s economy. And in the words of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the creation of the GLONASS system is a priority and cost budget. That is, the curtailing of expenditure allocated to the system the money the state does not touch ».

The Agency also reported that «Rival GLONASS – GPS system can simply” strangle at its root, by stopping the import of the receivers. There will be no competition, and then the Russian navigation system will become invincible in our country. Moreover, according to the State, must be received in other industries. The Deputy Minister noted that Russia should pursue a more aggressive policy of the customs, especially in the high-tech products: “Do not know how to do something today – must be zero customs duty. Learned to do – put the protective duties. We need to create a preference for our manufacturer» .

By agency Interfax (http://www.interfax.ru/business/txt.asp?id=89270)

And in the original Russian:

09-07-2009 Министерство промышленности и торговли РФ: планируется введение таможенных пошлин на импорт GPS-приемников

Россия планирует ввести запретительную таможенную пошлину на импорт GPS-приемников. Это будет сделано ради того, чтобы продвинуть в массы российскую навигационную систему ГЛОНАСС/

Министерство промышленности и торговли РФ готовит предложения о введении пошлин на импорт в Россию GPS-приемников в размере 50%, заявил замминистра Юрий Борисов на пресс-конференции в среду.
“На 50% будем сейчас поднимать таможенные пошлины на GPS-приемники”, – сообщил Ю. Борисов. По его словам такое решение необходимо для того, что бы дать дорогу российскому производителю. В Минпромторге РФ “Интерфаксу” пояснили, что предложения о введении такой пошлины содержатся в проекте постановления правительства РФ о комплексной поддержке системы ГЛОНАСС. Проект был направлен министерством на согласование ведомств.

Как напоминает агентство Интерфакс «ГЛОНАСС – это одна из приоритетных для государства программ. Президент Дмитрий Медведев включил ее в перечень важнейших тем, обсуждая в середине июня вопрос технического перевооружения экономики страны. А по словам премьер-министра Владимира Путина, создание системы ГЛОНАСС является приоритетной и с точки зрения расходов бюджета. То есть, урезая расходную часть бюджета, выделенные на эту систему деньги государство не тронет».

Агентство также сообщило, что «Конкурента ГЛОНАСС – систему GPS могут просто “задушить на корню”, прекратив ввоз соответствующих приемников. Не будет конкуренции, и тогда российская навигационная система станет непобедимой в нашей стране.
Причем, по мнению государства, так надо поступать и в других отраслях. Замминистра отметил, что России необходимо проводить более агрессивную таможенную политику, особенно в сфере высокотехнологичной продукции: “Не умеем делать сегодня что-то – должны быть нулевые таможенные пошлины. Научились что-то делать – ставим заградительные пошлины. Нужно создать преференции для нашего производителя».

По материалам агентства Интерфакс (http://www.interfax.ru/business/txt.asp?id=89270)

This is an unofficial translation and is provided to the readership of Res Communis as a convenience.

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

White House has posted the Joint Understanding between the U.S. and Russia on the agreement to replace the START treaty:

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
____________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 8, 2009

JOINT UNDERSTANDING

The President of the United States of America and the President of the Russian Federation have decided on further reductions and limitations of their nations’ strategic offensive arms and on concluding at an early date a new legally binding agreement to replace the current START Treaty, and directed that the new treaty contain, inter alia, the following elements:

1. A provision to the effect that each Party will reduce and limit its strategic offensive arms so that seven years after entry into force of the treaty and thereafter, the limits will be in the range of 500-1100
for strategic delivery vehicles, and in the range of 1500-1675 for their associated warheads.
The specific numbers to be recorded in the treaty for these limits will be agreed through further negotiations.

2. Provisions for calculating these limits.

3. Provisions on definitions, data exchanges, notifications, eliminations, inspections and verification procedures, as well as confidence building and transparency measures, as adapted, simplified, and made
less costly, as appropriate, in comparison to the START Treaty.

4. A provision to the effect that each Party will determine for itself the composition and structure of its strategic offensive arms.

5. A provision on the interrelationship of strategic offensive and strategic defensive arms.

6. A provision on the impact of intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles in a non-nuclear configuration on strategic stability.
7. A provision on basing strategic offensive arms exclusively on the national territory of each Party.

8. Establishment of an implementation body to resolve questions related to treaty implementation.

9. A provision to the effect that the treaty will not apply to existing patterns of cooperation in the area of strategic offensive arms between a Party and a third state.

10. A duration of the treaty of ten years, unless it is superseded before that time by a subsequent treaty on the reduction of strategic offensive arms.

The Presidents direct their negotiators to finish their work on the treaty at an early date so that they may sign and submit it for ratification in their respective countries.

Signed at Moscow, this sixth day of July, 2009, in duplicate, in the English and Russian languages.

FOR THE UNITED STATES FOR THE RUSSIAN
OF AMERICA: FEDERATION:

Barack Obama Dmitry Medvedev

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

From a Roscosmos press release (unofficial Google translation):

08-07-2009 meeting of Roscosmos Perminova with the Minister of Science and Technology of the Kingdom of Thailand Kalaya Soponpanit

Today in the Roscosmos met head of the Federal Space Agency Anatoly Perminova with the Minister of Science and Technology of the Kingdom of Thailand, Ms. Kalaya Soponpanit.

Russia since 2004 into contact with Thailand in space. Then the memorandum was signed. «Now – as said, Her Excellency Dr Kalaya Soponpanit – it is possible, in order to deepen these relations. ическими исследованиями, есть потрясающий опыт, в том числе по отправке человека в космос. Russian scientists involved in space research, there is a tremendous experience, including sending people into space. With respect to Thailand, we are in this area began, and our goal – to gain experience ».

Note that 1 Oct., 2008 Russia successfully launched a spacecraft Thai remote sensing «THEOS».

During the meeting the Minister informed the Head of Roscosmos with the main directions of activities of the Agency. Also discussed possible ways of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two States in the field of space technologies and services. Particular attention was paid to remote sensing of Earth and navigation.

After the meeting the head of department of international cooperation Roscosmos Alexei Korostelev held for Mrs. Kalaya Soponpanit tour of the permanent exhibition Roscosmos «Advances and prospects of development of domestic cosmonautics».

Press Service Roscosmos

This is an unofficial translation and is provided to the readership of Res Communis as a convenience.

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a nomination hearing today. Included in the hearing were Mr. Charles F. Bolden, Jr., to be Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Ms. Lori Garver, to be Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). An archived webcast of the hearing is available.

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

The FAA published a Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Pegasus Launches at the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site in today’s Federal Register (74 Fed. Reg. 32684-32685) (PDF):

SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), Council on Environmental Quality NEPA implementing regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1, the FAA is announcing the availability of the Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for Pegasus Launches at the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site (USAKA/RTS).

Orbital Sciences Corporation has applied to the FAA for renewal of Launch Operator License (LLO) 04-069. Under the Proposed Action (the preferred alternative), the FAA would renew Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Launch Operator License for launch operations of the Pegasus expendable launch vehicle family. Launches would occur from USAKA/RTS in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, a subordinate command of the U.S. Army Space and Strategic Defense Command.

The Pegasus expendable launch vehicle consists of three solid rocket propellant motor stages with an optional liquid propellant-based Hydrazine Auxiliary Propulsion System (HAPS) and is designed to be carried to its launch point by an L-1011 Launch Carrier Aircraft (LCA). The L-1011 LCA, which consists of FAA-approved standard engines, uses Commercial Jet-A or Military JP4 or JP10 fuel. Pre-launch and mating activities would be performed at Vandenberg Air Force Base under LLO 00-053. A separate environmental review was conducted in conjunction with the approval of LLO 00-053. Therefore, the Proposed Action addressed in the EA does not include Pegasus pre-launch processing operations.

Once the LCA and mated launch vehicle have landed at USAKA/RTS, system checks would be conducted. The LCA would be refueled. Concurrently, an advisory to nearby ships and aircraft would be issued. The LCA and mated Pegasus vehicle would leave USAKA/RTS under jet power and travel to the launch site over the Pacific Ocean. Following the release of the Pegasus launch vehicle, the L-1011 LCA would return to a designated runway at USAKA/RTS. The first and second stages would detach during flight and fall, unpowered, to the ocean. The third stage would continue to carry the payload into orbital insertion; detach from the payload and optional HAPS (if appropriate), and fall into the ocean. None of the jettisoned stages would be recovered. The EA addresses the potential environmental impacts of implementing the Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative of not renewing Orbital Sciences’ Launch Operator License. . . .