Kazakhstan Launches its First Communications Satellite
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, December 29 /PRNewswire/ --
- "The launch of the "KazSat" satellite will enable Kazakhstan to join the club of nations possessing their own geostationary satellites", - Daniel Akhmetov, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan.
According to Mr. Serik Turzhanov, head of "KazCosmos", Kazakhstan's National Space Company, the country will launch its first communications satellite "KazSat", today, December 29, 2005.
The satellite will contain 10-12 Ku-band transponders and will provide television broadcasting, permanent satellite communications and data transmission. The satellite will cover Central Asia, Turkmenistan, Caucasus, South-Eastern Moldova, Ukraine and the Moscow suburbs.
Once the satellite is launched, national satellite communication providers will be able to shift to KazSat. The Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Mr. Akhmetov noted that "the exploitation of KazSat resources by domestic communications providers will allow Kazakhstan to become more independent from international satellite organizations and provide the country with budget savings." Moreover, the satellite communication channels will be rented to communication providers from other CIS countries.
Kazakhstan's geostationary satellite, KazSat, was designed and constructed by the National Center of Satellite Communications of Kazakhstan together with the Russian Khrunichev Center which is the directing agency of the project. Kazakhstan spent USD $ 60 million to construct and launch its first national geostationary satellite.
Space projects of Kazakhstan
According to Mr. Serik Turzhanov, by 2011-2012 Kazakhstan plans to construct 3 groupings of satellites - a group of communication satellites, a group of earth remote sensing satellites, and a number of GPS satellites. Within the framework of the program, Kazakhstan also plans to launch three more communications satellites. This will enable Kazakhstan to fully meet domestic demand - including in rural areas - for TV and radio broadcasting, telephony, and multimedia channels of communication. The second national communications satellite will be launched in 2007, the third in 2008 and the forth in 2010. Moreover, by 2012, Kazakhstan plans to construct, with Russia, a group of 4 earth remote sensing satellites. These satellites can be used to predict natural and technogenic emergencies and earthquakes and put together land, water, forest cadastres. They can also be used in the solving of the global warming problems.
In the coming 2-3 years Kazakhstan intends to invest USD $ 400 million to construct the satellites and adjacent infrastructure. KazCosmos estimates that in following five years private investments into the space industry of Kazkahstan will reach about USD$ 3 billion.
Ivan Pandev, Consultant
Marston-Nicholson
18 rue Duphot
75001 Paris
France
+33-(0)1-42-96-46-00 SOURCE Government of Kazakhstan
