Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov.25 / Trend, H. Valiyev /
The total cost of Azerbaijan's first satellite program is estimated at approximately $250 million, "Azerkosmos" Chairman Rashad Nabiyev told Trend on Friday.
He said the exact figure will be known after the signing of the insurance contract.
"Work has been already launched on the construction of satellite ground control station in Baku, and the construction of the second station, which will be located on the territory of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, will begin in January 2012," Nabiyev said.
The Satellite is expected to be launched in late 2012. Azerspace's manufacturer is Orbital Sciences Corporation. An orbital position of 46 degrees east longitude has been leased from Malaysian satellite operator MEASAT. French Arianspace will launch the satellite into orbit.