MCIT negotiates with ITU on orbital position for second satellite

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies is negotiating with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on receipt of an orbital position for the second telecommunications satellite, the ministry reported.

The position at 62 degrees of eastern longitude is being considered for the second satellite Azersat C, application for which has previously been proposed by Azerbaijan. Development of a feasibility study for a project on the second telecommunications satellite's launch is currently being carried out within the second satellite programme. According to regulations, the new orbital position will also be coordinated with the orbital positions of other countries.

As Azerkosmos reported earlier, efforts to attract companies that will build the second satellite and place it in orbit, can be launched only after determination of its orbital position. Azerbaijan's first telecommunications satellite Azerspace-1 will be launched on February 7.

It will be sent into orbit by the Ariane 5 ECA launcher from the Kourou spaceport (Guiana Space Centre), located in the northeast part of South America, French Guiana. The satellite will be launched into a geostationary orbit 46 degrees of east longitude, leased from Malaysia's Measat Satellite Systems, owned by the government of Malaysia. Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and North Africa will be included in the Azerspace service area.

Produced by the American Orbital Sciences Corporation, the Azerbaijani Azerspace telecommunications satellite is designed to provide digital broadcasting, Internet access, data transmission, the creation of VSAT multiservice networks and governmental communications.

---