Kazakhstan plans to provide satellite communications services to Central Asian countries
By Abdul Kerimkhanov
Development of own space industry for Kazakhstan is a matter of both political prestige and economic necessity.
Kazakhstan satellite communications and broadcasting system KazSat plans to expand its export of services, said the Vice-Minister of Defense and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan Marat Nurguzhin at a meeting of the board of the Ministry of Defense and Aerospace Industry (MDAI).
“Kazakhstan has its own space communications system, consisting of the KazSat-2 and KazSat-3 satellites and ground-based control complexes. The operation of the KazSat-2 satellite will be completed in 2023, and to replace it, it is planned to commission the KazSat-2R spacecraft’’, the Vice Minister informed.
As he noted, the objective of the project “KazSat-2R” is to maintain the existing communication networks operating via the satellite “KazSat-2” and to export satellite communications services to the Central Asia countries.
Negotiations are underway with foreign manufacturers in the field of telecommunications satellites. The selection of the general contractor for the creation of KazSat-2R will be carried out on the basis of competitive procedures.
The project is at the stage of development and passing of financial and economic expertise.
Thanks to the work of the KazSat space system satellites, services are provided to 14 telecom operators, digital television and radio broadcasting (HD, DTH, IPTV, OTAU TV), broadband Internet access and data transmission throughout Kazakhstan are carried out.
Nurguzhin said that in addition to the space communication system consisting of two satellites, Kazakhstan has two Earth remote sensing satellites (KazEOSat-1 and KazEOSat-2), as well as two science and technology satellites, KazStSat and KazSciSat ”, launched on the Falcon-9 booster on December 4, 2018.
Development of the Kazakhstan space satellite KazSat-1 began in spring 2004. The satellite was put into orbit in 2006.
In total, 15 Russian and foreign companies took part in the creation of Kazakh space communication system, including Boeing, Alcatel Alenia Spazio, Com Dev.
Work on the creation of a space communication system continued. Today it includes the KazSat-2, KazSat-3 satellites, the ground control system for space vehicles and the communication monitoring system in the city of Akkol, as well as the backup ground control system for space vehicles and the communication monitoring system in the Ili district Almaty region.
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Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94
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