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Azerspace-1/Africasat-1a

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Azerspace-1/Africasat-1a',[4] is Azerbaijan's first satellite in space. Built by Orbital Sciences Corporation, it was launched by Ariane 5 into orbit on February 7, 2013 from Kourou in French Guiana at orbital positions 46° east.[5][6][7] The satellite covers Europe and a significant part of Asia and Africa. It is operated by the Azerbaijani company Azercosmos and has transmission capabilities for TV, radio broadcasting and the internet.[8][9]

Azerspace-1/Africasat-a
Mission typeCommunications
OperatorAzercosmos
COSPAR ID2013-006B Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.39079
Mission duration15 years
Spacecraft properties
BusGEOStar-2
ManufacturerOrbital Sciences Corporation
Launch mass3,275 kilograms (7,220 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch dateFebruary 8, 2013, 21:37 (2013-02-08UTC21:37Z) UTC[2]
RocketAriane 5ECA VA212
Launch siteKourou ELA-3
ContractorArianespace
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeGeostationary
Perigee altitude35,781 kilometres (22,233 mi)
Apogee altitude35,802 kilometres (22,246 mi)
Inclination0.03 degrees
Period1,436.05 minutes
Epoch29 October 2013, 20:36:34 UTC[3]
Transponders
Band12 Ku-band transponders
24 C-band transponders
Coverage areaEurope, Central Asia
(Ku-band and C-band)
Africa (C-band only)

The satellite has an anticipated service life of 15 years.[10]

Cost

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It is believed that the satellite cost of US$ 120 million and was established by Orbital Sciences Corporation.[11][12] Arianespace’s president Jean-Yves Le Gall emphasized that the weight of the satellite would be three tonnes.[13] In April 2011, Export-Import Bank of the United States has approved financing of this project as 85 per cent of construction cost which will be provided to the Azerbaijani side in the form of a loan, while the remaining 15 per cent will be paid by state funds.[14][15][16] The funds will be issued to Azercosmos OJSC.[17]

Satellite specifications

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The satellite has solar arrays with four panels per array, using UTJ Gallium Arsenide cells. It will be stabilized with a 3-axis stabilized, zero momentum system. It will have a liquid bi-propellant transfer orbit system, with a monopropellant (hydrazine) on-orbit system. Power will be held in two Li-ion batteries with a capacity of >4840 W/hr.

Azerspace-1/Africasat-1A has a hybrid payload including both C- band and Ku-band antennae. There will be 24 active C-band transponders, using a 2.5 m × 2.7 m (8 ft 2 in × 8 ft 10 in) single shell super-elliptical deployable reflector, with a 1.4 m × 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in × 4 ft 7 in) single shell super-elliptical deck-mounted reflector. There will also be 12 active Ku-band transponders, using a 2.5 m × 2.7 m (8 ft 2 in × 8 ft 10 in) single shell super-elliptical deployable reflector.

The Ku-band transponders (11.2 GHz and 14.0 GHz) have a contour map that primarily covers Europe and Central Asia. The C-band contour map (3740 MHz and 5965 MHz) also covers Europe and Central Asia, as well as nearly all of Africa.[18][19]

Orbit

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The satellite based on Orbital's flight-proven STAR-2 platform and generates approximately five kilowatts of payload power for 36 active transponders.[20] Upon completion of in-orbit testing, operational control of the satellite was handed over to Azerbaijan's Ministry of Communications and IT, and since October, 2017 Azercosmos OJSCo controls Azerspace-1 independently.

Operation

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The satellite's operations are controlled by a state-run company, Azercosmos, owned by the Government of Azerbaijan[21] Azerspace-1/Africasat-1A is a joint venture between Azerbaijan and satellite fleet operator MEASAT Satellite Systems of Malaysia, which owns the rights to the orbital slot at 46 degrees east longitude,[18] and which will be using about 40 per cent of the satellite's total capacity. Azerbaijan uses 20 per cent, with the remaining capacity to be available for other customers.[22]

As of 2014, satellite carries 13 radio stations and 128 television channels, mostly free to air, in addition to its services to the government.[23] As of 2018, the satellite carries around 100 TV and radio channels, mostly free to air, in addition to its services to the government.[24]

Follow-on activities

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The launch of its own satellite inaugurated Azerbaijan's space industry.[25][26] In April 2011, deputy director of the Azerbaijan National Aerospace Agency Tofig Suleymanov hinted that Azerbaijan had plans to launch a second satellite to study the Earth's interior and atmosphere in 2014.[27][28][29] On 26 November 2011, the head of Azercosmos, Rashad Nabiyev, reported that the launch of the second satellite was expected to occur in 2015.[30][31]

Azercosmos was launched second telecommunication satellite, Azerspace-2, in 25 September 2018 by 22:38 by UTC,[32] to provide broadband and broadcast services to customers in Europe, the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Central and South Asia.[33] The new satellite is 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.[34][35]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Azerspace/Africasat 1a". Gunter's Space Page. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  2. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Archived from the original on 13 November 2009. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  3. ^ "AZERSPACE 1 Satellite details 2013-006B NORAD 39079". N2YO. 29 October 2013. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  4. ^ "MEASAT in final lap for satellite launch next week". Business Times. 2 February 2013. Archived from the original on 13 April 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  5. ^ "Arianespace signs deal to launch Azerbaijani satellite". news.az. Archived from the original on 8 November 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  6. ^ "Azerbaijan signs deal with Arianespace to launch satellite". Space-Travel.com. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  7. ^ "Orbital Contracted to Build Azerbaijan's First Satellite". Archived from the original on 2011-05-10. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
  8. ^ "Baku developing satellite to kick off national space program". Archived from the original on 2011-05-15. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
  9. ^ Mohney, Doug. "New Oil Money Fueling Modest Space Dreams and Political Heartburn". Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
  10. ^ "Baku Reaches For The Stars: Azerbaijan Launches First Satellite". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 7 February 2013. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  11. ^ Азербайджан запустит в космос первый спутник связи Archived 2011-10-04 at the Wayback Machine (in Russian)
  12. ^ Kucera, Joshua. "Azerbaijan: Baku's Satellite Deal Sends Armenian Diaspora Groups into Orbit". Eurasianet. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
  13. ^ "Azerbaijan Communications Ministry prepares to sign a contract for 100 per cent insurance of national satellite". abc, az. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  14. ^ "US Ex-Im approves loan for construction of Azerbaijani satellite Azerspace". Trend News Agency. 29 April 2011. Archived from the original on 1 May 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  15. ^ "Экспортно-Импортный Банк США выделит кредит на строительство спутника AzerSat". Archived from the original on 2 May 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  16. ^ "Одобрен кредит для строительства азербайджанского спутника". Day.az. 29 April 2011. Archived from the original on 2 May 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  17. ^ "2012 state budget to increase funds to launch national satellite into orbit". News.az. Archived from the original on 20 November 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  18. ^ a b "Home" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-10-01. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  19. ^ "Azerspace/Africasat-1a coverages & footprints". Satlaunch. Archived from the original on 8 November 2011. Retrieved 9 October 2011.
  20. ^ "Azerbaijan's first satellite to be launched in 2012". Embassy of Azerbaijan. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
  21. ^ "Azerspace". Archived from the original on 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2018-02-19.
  22. ^ Space News
  23. ^ Selding, Peter. "Azerbaijan's Blueprint for a Domestic Space Industry Includes Global Competition for Optical Satellite". www.spacenews.com. Archived from the original on November 7, 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  24. ^ "Channel list". Archived from the original on 2018-02-19. Retrieved 2018-02-19.
  25. ^ Meeting held to coordinate orbital slots for Azersat Archived May 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  26. ^ Азербайджан выведет в космос два спутника связи Archived 2011-05-13 at the Wayback Machine (in Russian)
  27. ^ "Второй азербайджанский спутник может быть выведен на орбиту в 2014 году". Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
  28. ^ "Azerbaijan may launch another artificial satellite". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  29. ^ "Azerbaijani second satellite to be financed through internal funds". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  30. ^ "Azercosmos to launch Azerbaijan's second national satellite by 2015". abc.az. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
  31. ^ "Azerbaijan set to launch second satellite into orbit in 2015". news.az. Archived from the original on 29 November 2011. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
  32. ^ Clark, Stephen (August 28, 2018). "Launch schedule". SpaceFlight Now. Archived from the original on December 24, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  33. ^ "AZERCOSMOS: AZERSPACE-2 SATELLITE TO BE LAUNCHED IN APRIL". Archived from the original on 2018-02-06. Retrieved 2018-02-19.
  34. ^ "Arianespace Selected to Launch Azerspace-2/Intelsat 38 Satellite at 45 Degrees East". Archived from the original on 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2018-02-19.
  35. ^ ""Azerspace-2" satellite to be launched in early 2018". Archived from the original on 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2018-02-19.
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