SpaceX beat China to launch Turkmenistan's Maiden Satellite

[king1999]

Didn't see it mentioned any where.

http://en.ria.ru/russia/20131112/184664644/US-Says-SpaceX-to-Launch-Turkmenistans-Maiden-Satellite.html

[baldusi]

If I'm not mistaken it was already posted. Apparently they had ordered an "ITAR-Free" satellite from Thales Aliena so they could launch on a Long March. But DoD did an investigation and after much discussing they "discovered" that many US companies that stated that their products where not "ITAR restricted", actually were. That lead to the suspension of the ITAR-Free lines of satellites through the Western hemisphere, and they had to get an ITAR'd LV. Apparently SpaceX won the bid.
With this DoD gave a great incentive to the chinese satellite component manufacturers to develop new parts. But that's a discussion for a whole different thread.