Kazakhstan Launches its First Communications Satellitetitle
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, December 29 /PRNewswire/ --
- "The launch of the "KazSat" satellite will enable Kazakhstan to join
the club of nations possessing their own geostationary satellites", - Daniel
Akhmetov, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan.
According to Mr. Serik Turzhanov, head of "KazCosmos", Kazakhstans
National Space Company, the country will launch its first communications
satellite "KazSat", today, December 29, 2005.
The satellite will contain 10-12 Ku-band transponders and will provide
television broadcasting, permanent satellite communications and data
transmission. The satellite will cover Central Asia, Turkmenistan, Caucasus,
South-Eastern Moldova, Ukraine and the Moscow suburbs.
Once the satellite is launched, national satellite communication
providers will be able to shift to KazSat. The Prime Minister of Kazakhstan,
Mr. Akhmetov noted that "the exploitation of KazSat resources by domestic
communications providers will allow Kazakhstan to become more independent
from international satellite organizations and provide the country with
budget savings." Moreover, the satellite communication channels will be
rented to communication providers from other CIS countries.
Kazakhstans geostationary satellite, KazSat, was designed and
constructed by the National Center of Satellite Communications of Kazakhstan
together with the Russian Khrunichev Center which is the directing agency of
the project. Kazakhstan spent USD $ 60 million to construct and launch its
first national geostationary satellite.
Space projects of Kazakhstan
According to Mr. Serik Turzhanov, by 2011-2012 Kazakhstan plans to
construct 3 groupings of satellites - a group of communication satellites, a
group of earth remote sensing satellites, and a number of GPS satellites.
Within the framework of the program, Kazakhstan also plans to launch three
more communications satellites. This will enable Kazakhstan to fully meet
domestic demand - including in rural areas - for TV and radio broadcasting,
telephony, and multimedia channels of communication. The second national
communications satellite will be launched in 2007, the third in 2008 and the
forth in 2010. Moreover, by 2012, Kazakhstan plans to construct, with Russia,
a group of 4 earth remote sensing satellites. These satellites can be used to
predict natural and technogenic emergencies and earthquakes and put together
land, water, forest cadastres. They can also be used in the solving of the
global warming problems.
In the coming 2-3 years Kazakhstan intends to invest USD $ 400 million to
construct the satellites and adjacent infrastructure. KazCosmos estimates
that in following five years private investments into the space industry of
Kazkahstan will reach about USD$ 3 billion.
Ivan Pandev, Consultant
Marston-Nicholson
18 rue Duphot
75001 Paris
France
+33-(0)1-42-96-46-00
