Azerbaijan ‘faces no challenges’ with space satellite launch
BAKU – Azerbaijan faces no challenges with manufacturing its first communications satellite and will put it on orbit by the end of 2012 as planned, deputy communications minister Iltimas Mammadov has said.
Mammadov was commenting on reports saying that the Armenian lobby has called on US Congress to bring a halt to the production of the satellite.
"There could be many such appeals, but we are doing our job," he said. "Minister Ali Abbasov is currently holding meetings in the United States, and work on manufacturing the satellite is underway successfully."
Building the Azerspace satellite will cost over $100 million. Most of the amount will be lent to Azerbaijan by US EximBank, while the rest will be allocated from the state budget.
US Orbital Sciences Corporation is the manufacturer of the satellite, according to an agreement signed with the government in 2010. An orbital position was leased from Malaysian communications satellite operator Measat. French company Arianespace will launch the satellite into space.
The satellite is expected to cover the entire Europe, with the exception of Scandinavian countries, and half of Asian territory by encompassing most of Kazakhstan.
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