Azerbaijani satellite tests to end in early Dec.
By Nigar Orujova
Final testing of Azerbaijan's first telecommunication satellite, Azerspace-1, is underway, space agency Azerkosmos told Trend on Monday.
Testing work is planned to be finished by December 5, after which the satellite will be ready for launch.
The satellite will be delivered to the Kourou Space Center, located in the north-east of South America in French Guiana, in January, but its launch into geostationary orbit is planned for early February 2013.
A representative from Azerkosmos OJSC and two representatives from Canadian satellite communications company Telesat are at the U.S.-based satellite manufacturer Orbital Sciences Corporation's plant to become closely familiar with the process.
The Azerspace-1 payload installed on the STAR-2 platform consists of 36 transponders -- 24 C-band transponders and 12 Ku-band ones.
The frequency of the strip on each transponder is 36 MHz and the weight of the satellite is about 1,500 tons, Azerkosmos said.
The satellite exploitation term in the orbit will be up to 15 years.
The satellite will be launched into geostationary orbit at 46 degrees East longitude. 39.5 per cent of the satellite's resources have already been leased by Malaysian operator Measat Satellite Systems. The company will use the resources of the Azerbaijani satellite for telecommunication services and broadcasting.
The countries of Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Central Asia and north Africa will enter the service zone.
The Azerbaijani satellite has been designed to offer digital broadcasting services, Internet access, data transmission, and to create multiservice VSAT networks and governmental communication.
French company Arianespace will launch the satellite into space. Azerkosmos previously said work on the Ariane-5 missile carrier construction was being carried out according to schedule and would be completed on time.
The availability of its own satellites allows Azerbaijan to fill the ranks of developed countries in the field of space technologies and will ensure the country's information security.
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