Azerbaijan's telecom satellite - first year in orbit

Exactly a year has passed since the launch of Azerbaijani first telecommunications satellite Azerspace/Africasat-1a.

Azerbaijan became a member of the international space club on Feb 8, 2013. It became the third country in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the only one in the region to own a satellite.

The launch of the satellite signified the country's success in various fields ranging from socio-political to economic. It was launched into orbit by the Ariane 5 ECA launcher, part of the French Arianespace company, from the start complex ELA-3 at the Guiana Space Centre.

The satellite's service life in orbit will be up to 15 years. Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and North Africa are included in the service area of Azerspace/Africasat-1a.

The launch was the first step in the implementation of prospective projects to turn Azerbaijan into a country with a space industry.

The existence of a national satellite establishes qualitative and reliable communication, ensures the creation of VSAT multi-service networks, renders digital television services, Internet access, as well as ensuring information independence and forming a common information space.

The Azerspace/Africasat-1a resources will be used in the future to ensure the security of oil and gas pipeline projects which are used to deliver the energy resources of Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea region to world markets.

Profits from the operation of the Azerspace/Africasat-1 satellite are expected to reach US$420 million.

It is expected that the investments put into the project will be repaid within seven years from the date of its launch. In the next 15 years Azerbaijan's revenues from the launch of the first telecommunications satellite - Azerspace/Africasat-1 will be US$650 million over its operation period in the orbit.

In the first eight months of 2013 (the commercial use of the satellite was launched in May), the income from the first satellite programme amounted to US$$10 million.

Azerbaijan's satellite operator Azerkosmos JSC has realised over 50 per cent of the satellite's resources. Over 70 TV and radio channels are being broadcasted via the satellite.

Azerbaijan also plans to launch the second telecommunications satellite Azerspace-2 scheduled to go into orbit in 2017. It will have a commercial character and designed to provide digital TV services, data transmission, creation of multi-service networks, and so on.