Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct.30 / Trend, H.Valiyev /
The amount of budgetary financing for maintenance of the OJSC Azercosmos for 2011 will exceed 2 million manat, the Azerbaijani Communications and Information Technologies Ministry said.
OJSC Azercosmos was crated under the Ministry in May 2010.
The Azerbaijani Communications and Information Technologies Ministry has prepared and submitted to the Finance Ministry estimate of costs for 2011-2013, as well as a document on the number of OJSC's staff.
Creation of the OJSC has two objectives: to create a basis for the development and use of outer space for peaceful purposes and - use space for commercial purposes.
Azerspace is expected to launch in July-August 2012.
The Orbital Sciences Corporation has already started manufacturing Azerbaijan's telecommunications satellite. Earlier, the ministry signed a long-term contract on leasing an orbital position for Azerspace with the Malaysian MEASAT satellite operator. At present, the Ministry is working to evaluate the proposals of companies producing a carrier rocket, ILS, Arianespace, SpaceX and Ukroboronservis.
The implementation of the project to launch a national satellite Azerspace will allow introducing new technologies in space systems of telecommunication and communication, including the access to the Internet, as well as provide informational independence and form single information sphere.
Azerbaijan's capital investment in the project is roughly 319 million manat; 127 million will be spent on operating costs. The payback period is six years, and the income will reach 176 million manat.
The income from Azerspace will reach 495 million manat.
The received revenue will be spent on the country's technological development.