Azerbaijan earns $14.1M from commercial operation of Azerspace-2 satellite [UPDATE]

26 September 2019 16:58 (UTC+04:00)

1 467

Azerbaijan has earned $14.1 million from the commercial operation of the Azerspace-2 satellite in seven months of this year, Trend reports with reference to Azercosmos OJSC.

On September 26, a year has passed since the launch of the third satellite of Azerbaijan, Azerspace-2, into orbit.

Azerspace-2 was launched with the Ariane 5 carrier rocket of Arianespace, a French company, on September 26, 2018 from the Kourou space center in French Guiana. The satellite is designed to provide a number of telecommunications services. Its service area covers the countries of Europe, Central and South Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

In the subsequent months, the satellite was put into a constant orbital position, and successfully tested.

In January this year, the control of the satellite was completely transferred to Azercosmos OJSC, and the commercial operation of the telecommunication satellite began in February.

Presently, over 80 digital channels are broadcast via the Azerspace-2 satellite in the African region.

During the seven months of the satellite’s operation, 80 percent of its transponders were leased on a commercial basis.

Thanks to the successful commercial activities of the Azerspace-2 satellite, Azercosmos OJSC has further strengthened its position as a reliable partner in the regional satellite services market.

The first and only satellite operator in the South Caucasus, Azerkosmos OJSC provides high-quality satellite services for the telecommunications sector and in the field of topographic survey. The strategic development plans of the company include expanding the coverage and range of services.

Therefore, in 2018, Azercosmos launched the second telecommunications satellite Azerspace-2 into the target orbit, located in a geostationary orbit of 45 degrees east longitude.

The main satellite control center is located on the 37th kilometer of the Baku-Shamakhi highway, and the backup one is located in Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (NAR) in the Nehejir settlement of the Julfa district.

The first communications satellite of Azerbaijan, Azerspace-1, was launched into geostationary orbit at 46 degrees east longitude on February 8, 2013. The satellite was launched from the Kourou space center by Arianespace.

---