Will Defence Intelligence's top secret R1.4 billion Russian Kondor-E spy satellite be launched tomorrow morning?

17 December 2014

Roscosmos, the Russian Federal Space Agency, has announced that a Kondor-E "earth observation satellite" will be launched, using a Strela rocket, at 07h55 Moscow Time (04h55 GMT) on Thursday 18 December 2014 from Site 175 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

We cannot be sure, but the Kondor-E satellite, which will be launched at 06h55 South African Time, may be Defence Intelligence's secret Russian Kondor-E "spy satellite", developed under "Project Flute".

The Kondor-E satellite assembly reportedly arrived at Baikonur Cosmodrome on 01 December 2014 for pre-launch processing and since then has been tested, loaded with propellant at Site 31 and transferred to Site 2A for final preparation.

 "Project Flute" refers to Defence Intelligence's secret R1.4 billion contract with Russian company NPO Mashinostroyenia to develop a Kondor-E radar imaging satellite, which was signed on 19 May 2006.

We do not have all the facts about "Project Flute". However, we do know the following: 

Project Name: "Project Flute" ("Consolidated Project Flute")

Project Description: To develop a Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite, called the Kondor-E, capable of seeing at night and through cloud cover, for Defence Intelligence

Project Cost: +/- R1.4 billion

Contracting Company: NPO Mashinostroyenia

Contract Number: No. 710/303/060001

Contract Date: 19 May 2006

The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has refused point blank to reply to any questions about "Project Flute" in Parliament. 

What the Minster has done is issue veiled threats to those of us asking hard questions about "Project Flute".

However, the Secretary for Defence, Dr Sam Gulube, conceded at a meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, on 22 October 2014, that a contract for a "military satellite" existed and that the contract was "on track".

Herewith a picture of a Kondor-E earth observation satellite being transported at Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. [Picture Credit: TsEnki]

Statement issued by David Maynier MP, DA Shadow Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, December 17 2014

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