Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

The total value of the project on launching Azerbaijan's first satellite, Azerspace-1, is about $230 million, Minister of Communications and Information Technologies Ali Abbasov said on Monday.

"The figure includes the expenses for construction of ground control stations and insurance costs," Abbasov said. "Overall insurance expenses for the satellite are up to $17 million."

According to the minister, $16 million of this amount accounts for full coverage of the satellite's insurance and about $1 million is to be spent on guaranteeing the insurance amount.

Azerkosmos space agency said the ongoing final testing of the telecommunication satellite is to finish by December 5. Afterwards, the satellite will be ready for launch from the Kourou Space Center, located in the northeast of South America in French Guiana in February 2013.

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, according to Azerkosmos.

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 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 be in 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.