Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Aug.9 /Trend H.Hasanov/
President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov received President of the Chinese Corporation for Space Science and Technology (CASC) Ma Sinzhu, the national TV channel Turkmenistan said on Thursday.
The "exceptional prospects of cooperation with Chinese partners who have extensive experience in space activities" were noted at the meeting. The Turkmen side expressed its willingness to consider all the possibilities of implementing joint projects in this area.
"The development and widespread use of the limitless possibilities of space is one of the priority tasks of the state," the Turkmen leader said at the meeting.
It is expected that Chinese Corporation will cooperate with the National Space Agency under the President of Turkmenistan established a year ago. The Agency is entrusted with control over the Earth's orbit, the establishment of satellite communications, implementation of research, related to space and control over artificial satellite of Turkmenistan.
According to the contract, in December 2011, Thales Alenia Space began to build the Turkmen first national satellite. In turn, the Chinese industrial company Great Wall has signed a contract with Thales, according to which China will help Turkmenistan to launch its first communications satellite.
The information stated that the weight of the new satellite, developed by Thales, is 4.5 tons, the design life - 15 years. Launch is scheduled for 2014 from the Chinese launch site Xichang with rocket-carrier Changzheng-3B.
Chinese industrial company Great Wall was created in 1980. It made 32 international commercial launches and put 38 satellites into orbit.