Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 2 / Trend , H.Valiyev/
The Azerbaijani Ministry of Communications and Information Technology decided to establish the Coordination Council as part of the project to create a space industry in the country, the ministry reported.
According to the ministry, the Coordination Council will include authoritative bodies to be participated in the program. This issue was considered at the board meeting of the Communications and Information Technology Ministry, presided by Minister Ali Abbasov. Taking into account training of personnel in this sphere it was also considered necessary to organize training personnel abroad on relevant specialty.
Azerbaijan's plans include launching the first telecommunication Azerspace satellite into orbit in 2011, the second one in 2012.
Cost of communication satellite within project of Azerbaijani own satellite Azerspace launching into orbit, will hit 163 million manat. Construction operations of the satellite will begin in September, 2009.The satellite will likely be launched from Baikonur cosmodrome (Kazakhstan).
The tender for creation of the satellite was announced in January, 2009 upon the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's order Creation of the space industry in the Azerbaijani Republic and launch telecommunications satellites into orbit, signed late 2008.
Orbital Sciences Corp (the United States) was the winner of the tender.
Existence of a national satellite will enable Azerbaijan to establish high-quality and reliable communications, television, as well as increase the number of channels. Azerspace Satellite will cover Europe and Asia that would enable Azerbaijan play the role of transit countries in broadcasting of channels.
At present, Azerbaijan got a license of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for placing Azerspace in geostationary orbit.
Term of exploitation of the satellite will be 15 years, payback period - about five years. Azerbaijan intends to use about 25 percent of resources of the satellite, the rest part will be offered to operators in other countries.
Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at:[email protected]