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Soviet Space Cooperation

Space Applications

COMSATS

INTELSAT

Membership in Intelsat is open to any country belonging to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and only three, the Soviet Union, the German Democratic Republic and North Korea, have not availed themselves of that opportunity. The Soviet Union, as a non-owner user, sends observers to Intelsat meetings.

The Soviet Union showed interest in acquiring formal member­ ship in Intelsat in 1985. 27 In March, Richard R. Colino, then Intel­ sat's director-general, and his deputy, Jose Luis Alegrett, visited the Soviet Union at the invitation, issued in January 1984, of Soviet minister of communications, Vasiliy A. Shamshin. The possi­ bility of a memorandum of co-operation was raised. Addressing U.S. concern over possible transfer of technology, Alegrett said that this would be governed by existing Intelsat rules. Soviet member­ship would not automatically carry with it access to Intelsat's ac­ tivities. The Soviet Union would not have a quota of Intelsat staff positions. As an Intelsat member the Soviet Union could invest in the organization and expect a return on its investment. It would also have one vote in the Assembly of Parties. 28

Joseph N. Pelton, Intelsat director of strategic policy, said that a draft agreement had been sent to Moscow and that Soviet member­ ship was pending. 29

Later that year, a memorandum of understanding setting forth the rights and options of a non-owner user, as already specified in the Intelsat agreement, and defining a process and points of con­ tact for increased use of the global network, was signed by the Soviet Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and Intelsat. 30 Although this was expected to lead toward Soviet membership of the consortium, that has not happened.

References:

A . SOVIET SPACE PROGRAMS: 1981-87, SPACE SCIENCE, SPACE APPLICATIONS, MILITARY SPACE PROGRAMS, ADMINISTRATION, RESOURCE BURDEN, AND MASTER LOG OF SPACEFLIGHTS, Part 2, April 1989, Printed for the use of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D.C. 1989, Committee print 1981-87- part-2

27. Aviation Week and Space Technology, Mar. 25, 1985, p. 26.

28. Ibid.

29. Ibid.

30. Aviation Week and Space Technology, Sept. 9, 1985, p. 15.