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A Canadian space company is seeking millions of dollars in compensation after the Conservative government scuttled the launch of a satellite because it was scheduled to be sent into orbit on a Russian rocket.

In April, the government shut down the launch of the spacecraft known as the Maritime Monitoring and Messaging Microsatellite or M3MSat. The spacecraft, which completed final testing last year at the Canadian Space Agency’s David Florida Laboratory in Ottawa, had been set for launch June 19 from Russia.

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The decision to cancel the launch was included as part of the government’s actions to punish Russia for its actions during the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

Satellite manufacturer COM DEV, which has facilities in Ottawa and Cambridge, Ont., along with its subsidiary exactEarth, are trying to obtain compensation for the loss of business because of the scuttled launch.

Space industry officials have privately questioned the government’s actions on M3MSat, pointing out the Conservative government did not intervene to stop the launch that same day, June 19, of two smaller Canadian satellites on a Russian rocket. Those satellites and their launch were funded by the Canadian Space Agency.