Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 7/ Trend G.Veliyev
Azerbaijan has become a permanent member of the scientific-technical subcommittee of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), the Ministry of Communication and Information Technologies of Azerbaijan reported on Tuesday.
Resolution 66/71 on the membership of Azerbaijan in the COPUOS was approved on January 12.
Previously, Azerbaijan had an observer status in the COPUOS.
"It is quite acceptable that Azerbaijan in the status of permanent member of the organization will be involved in realization of various projects," the head of Ministry's department for coordination of the state enterprises activities Mir-Heydar Ismayilov told Trend previously. This could eventually turn the country into one of the most active members of the global space family, he added.
"Azerbaijan makes first steps in the space industry and works to be at the same level with such developed countries like the U.S., Japan, France, and Germany. A number of countries take interested in the technical parameters of our satellite and show interest in using its resources in the future," Ismayilov said.
The launch of the first Azerbaijani satellite Azerspace is scheduled for the end of 2012. French Arianspace will assist in launching the satellite into an orbit. American Orbital Sciences Corporation company will be the manufacturer of Azerspace. The orbital position (longitude 46 east), on which the satellite will be located is used in conjunction with the Malaysian satellite operator MEASAT.
Azerbaijani telecommunication satellite Azerspace is designed to provide digital broadcasting, Internet access, data transmission, creation of multiservice networks VSAT, and government communication.
The service area of Azerspace will include the countries of Europe, Central Asia and Africa.
The realization of the Azerspace project will introduce new technologies to space and telecommunication systems, ensure the informational independence and allow forming a single information space.