Wednesday, January 16, 2013

First telecom satellite of Azerbaijan to be launched in 2015

Azerbaijan’s first ever telecommunications satellite will be deployed into low Earth orbit in 2015, Minister of Communication and Information Technologies Ali Abbasov said at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers.

The 3.2 tonnes satellite was built by the U.S Orbital Company and will be sent into orbit by the French Arian Company. 20 percent of the satellite will be used to meet Azerbaijan’s demand, while the other 80 percent will be used for commercial purposes. Conditional contracts for the use of 40% of the satellite have already been signed, Abbasov said.

The Communication and Information Technologies Minister added that the establishment of regional management centre and reserve management centre has already been completed.

“The centre will be used for management of satellites of other countries flying over the region,” Abbasov said in a statement. “To observe the Earth, a universal acceptance and processing system will be installed here.”

The Minister also said that a staff on cosmic technologies is being prepared for the launch of the first telecom satellite.

“25-28 aged 30 national specialists, trained in US, France and Malaysia, have been prepared during the past three years.”

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