Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr S. Babayeva / Azerbaijan hopes to receive a license from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) regarding launching of a national communication satellite (AzerSat) by 2010, Azerbaijani Communications & IT Minister, Ali Abbasov, reported on 28 September.
According to the Minister, it is not easy to receive the license, for the space in the Earth's geostationary orbit is limited.
According to Abbasov, the decision regarding implementation of the projects on launching of Azerbaijan's national satellite can be made in the 1st half of 2008. According to him, the Government, 5 suggestions including technical and economic aspects of the project were submitted to the Government.
At the initial stage the project will be financed by the public funds, later it will become self-supporting. Some 25-30% of the resources of the satellite will be used by Azerbaijan, and the rest power will be sold to the countries in its coverage area.
Cost of AzerSat makes up $80-100mln. The coverage area of the satellite will include Europe and a part of Asia - Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Iran.
