Azercosmos

Azercosmos Open Joint Stock Company (Azerbaijani: Azərkosmos) is a satellite operator based in Azerbaijan, and the first satellite operator in the Caucasus region. It is entirely owned by the Government of Azerbaijan.[2] With the telecommunication satellite Azerspace-1, the company provides broadband and broadcast services to customers in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.[3] With the Earth Observation satellite Azersky, Azercosmos provides satellite imagery and geoinformation services.[4]

Azercosmos OJSCo
TypeOpen Joint Stock Company
IndustrySatellite operations
FoundedMay 3, 2010 (2010-05-03)
Headquarters
Baku, Azerbaijan
Key people
Rashad Nabiyev, chairman
Rovshan Rustamov, Vice President[1]
ServicesCommunication services, Earth observation
OwnerGovernment of Azerbaijan
Websiteazercosmos.az

History

During a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers in 2008, President Ilham Aliyev gave a task on "establishment of a modern aerospace industry in Azerbaijan and launch of country’s telecommunication satellite into orbit".[5] Implementation of the task was assigned to the Ministry of Communication and High Technologies.

To realize the project, the Ministry applied to the International Telecommunication Union for the orbital slot allocation process. Concurrently, in August 2009, President Aliyev signed a decree on approval of a state program to establish and develop the space industry in Azerbaijan.[6] In May 2010, the Ministry of Communication and High Technologies reached an agreement with Measat Satellite Systems of Malaysia to lease the geostationary position at the 46° East orbital slot, which belongs to the Malaysian government.[7] As a result of the tenders announced on manufacturing and launch of the first Azerbaijani telecommunication satellite, US-based Orbital Sciences Corporation was chosen to construct the satellite, and French company Arianespace was selected to launch it.[8]

On May 3, 2010, Presidential Decree ref. 885 established Azercosmos OJSCo with the purpose of implementing the launch, operation, and exploitation of telecommunication satellites for the Republic of Azerbaijan. In October 2017, Azercosmos OJSCo was moved out from under the Ministry of Transport, Communication and High Technologies, and became accountable directly to the Cabinet of Ministers.[9]

Satellites
Azerspace-1 on the stamp of Azerbaijan, 2013
  • Azerspace-1 – telecommunication satellite; provides radio and television broadcast services, encrypted communication, and high-speed data transmission. The satellite covers Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and the Caucasus.[10] It was launched in February 2013 and is equipped with 36 transponders: 24 in C-band and 12 in Ku-band. It is located at 46° East longitude. The anticipated lifespan of Azerspace-1 is 15 years.[11]
  • Azerspace-2 – telecommunication satellite; was launched on September 25, 2018; to provide broadband and broadcast services to customers in Europe, the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Central and South Asia.[12] The satellite is planned to be equipped with 35 transponders in Ku-band, and will be located at 45° East longitude. The lifespan of Azerspace-2 is expected to be 15 years.[13][14]
  • Azersky – Earth Observation Satellite. In December 2014, Azercosmos took over the rights to operate and commercialize Azersky, a high resolution (1.5 metres (4.9 ft) black and white and 6 metres (20 ft) color) optical Earth observation satellite.[4] The minimum recording sceneo of Azersky is 60 by 60 kilometres (37 mi × 37 mi); the maximum is 60 by 600 kilometres (37 mi × 373 mi). The lifespan of Azersky is expected to be 12 years.

Services

Services offered by Azersat include:

  • Satellite capacity leasing
  • Direct-to-home high-definition television broadcasting to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia, via Azerspace-1
  • Fixed and mobile data and communications

Azersat operates a teleport in Baku, which receives signals via intermediary satellites, metronet, and fiber. This teleport enables uplink services, data distribution, and internet connectivity.

See also

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-08-12. Retrieved 2019-04-21.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Azercosmos". SkyBrokers. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  3. "AZERSPACE-1 SATELLITE". Archived from the original on 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  4. "AzerSky satellite to help monitor agricultural crops in Azerbaijan". Archived from the original on 2018-02-06. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  5. "Ilham Aliyev observed the launch of the first Azerbaijani telecommunications satellite "Azerspace-1" into orbit". Archived from the original on 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  6. "Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan On approval of State Program on establishment and development of space industry in the Republic of Azerbaijan". Archived from the original on 2016-04-18. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  7. "Azerspace-1 satellite launching date announced". Archived from the original on 2018-02-06. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  8. "Azerspace/Africasat-1a is prepared for Arianespace's first Ariane 5 launch in 2013". Archived from the original on 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  9. "Azercosmos OJSC taken out from subordination of Ministry of Transport, Communication and High Technologies". Archived from the original on 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  10. "Azerspace/Africasat 1a". Archived from the original on 2013-10-30. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  11. "Azerspace". Archived from the original on 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  12. "AZERCOSMOS: AZERSPACE-2 SATELLITE TO BE LAUNCHED IN APRIL". Archived from the original on 2018-02-06. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  13. "Arianespace Selected to Launch Azerspace-2/Intelsat 38 Satellite at 45 Degrees East". Archived from the original on 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  14. ""Azerspace-2" satellite to be launched in early 2018". Archived from the original on 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
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