It probably was inevitable that fallout from Russia's annexation of Crimea and continued meddling in eastern Ukraine would eventually reach the space sector, but the Obama administration must nonetheless be cognizant of the potential for space-related collateral damage as it seeks to penalize Moscow. Recent U.S. sanctions barring defense-related trade with Russia already have halted processing of export licenses to launch satellites made in the United States or containing U.S. components - in the commercial sector, . that means nearly all satellites - aboard Russian rockets, including Proton and Soyuz. This has left some satellites awaiting shipment to Russian launch sites in a state of limbo that, depending on how long it lasts, could cost their owners dearly in the form of deferred revenue.
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