Nation’s second satellite to enter orbit this spring

The launch of Azerspace-2, the nation’s second telecommunications satellite, is scheduled for April 30 this year.

The satellite will be launched from the Guiana Space Centre using the Ariane 5 ECA launch vehicle, a source familiar with the project told Trend.

French company Arianespace, which earlier launched Azerbaijan’s first satellite Azerspace / Africasat-1a, will send the Azerspace-2/Intelsat38 into the orbit.

The satellite will be placed at a geostationary orbit 45 degrees east longitude and its service area will cover the countries of Europe, Central and South Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

The satellite’s manufacturer is Space Systems Loral (SSL), which is also a provider of satellite control systems.

Azerspace-1, the nation’s first satellite, was launched into orbit on February 8, 2013.At present, its service area includes countries of Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa.The revenues from the operation of Azerspace-1 amount to $72 million so far.

In December 2014, Azercosmos took over the rights to operate and commercialize Azersky, high resolution (1.5 meter imagery products) optical Earth observation satellite, and entered into the commercial business of Earth observation services, including geo-information services. The revenues from the operation of Azersky satellite currently amount to $19 million, while they are expected to exceed $200 million within the next decade.

Meanwhile, Azercosmos OJSC will operate satellites and other devices used at different heights in order to support the country’s socioeconomic development, commercial, scientific activities and for state purposes. This is stated in the amendments to the decision of Azerbaijan’s Cabinet of Ministers “On approval of Charter and structure of Azerkosmos OJSC.”

Based on the approved development directions, the Cabinet of Ministers will approve the company’s l ong-term development plan, the provisions of its structural subdivisions, branches and representative offices, as well as the statutes of the legal entity structures subordinated to the OJSC.

The amendments also say that Azercosmos will represent Azerbaijan in the INTERSPUTNIK International Organization of Space Communications, the Eu- ropean Telecommunications Satellite Organization, the European Space Agency, t he UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, and will also cooperate with space agencies and organizations of other countries in the field of peaceful use of space.

Azercosmos i s also tasked with putting forward relevant proposals for the i mplementation of international treaties on the use of outer space for peaceful purposes, to which Azerbaijan is a party, dissemination of space science and technology, organization of meetings, conferences, seminars and other events within Azerbaijan and abroad.

The total revenues of Azercosmos OJSC from the operation of Azerspace-1 and Azersky satellites have already reached $91 million.