KazSat

KazSat is a series of communications satellites developed by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center for the Government of Kazakhstan, with the primary goal of providing telecommunication services to Central Asia and Eastern Europe. The project involves collaboration with Russian Federal Space Agency, Thales Alenia Space, and Eutelsat. The development of KazSat is also supported by International Telecommunication Union, European Space Agency, and United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs.

Introduction

The KazSat project is part of Kazakhstan's efforts to develop its space industry, with support from Russian Aerospace Industry, European Space Agency, and NASA. The project aims to provide broadband internet services to rural areas of Kazakhstan, as well as to neighboring countries, including Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan. KazSat will also provide services to European Space Agency's Galileo navigation system and Eutelsat's Hot Bird satellites. The development of KazSat is also influenced by International Telecommunication Union's World Radiocommunication Conference and United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.

History

The development of KazSat began in the early 2000s, with the signing of a cooperation agreement between Kazakhstan Ministry of Investment and Development and Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. The project involved collaboration with Thales Alenia Space, Eutelsat, and Russian Federal Space Agency. The first KazSat satellite was launched in 2006, but it failed to reach its intended orbit due to a launch vehicle malfunction, which was investigated by Russian Federal Space Agency and European Space Agency. The second KazSat satellite was launched in 2011, and it has been providing services to Central Asia and Eastern Europe, including Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan. The development of KazSat is also supported by International Launch Services, Arianespace, and SpaceX.

Spacecraft

The KazSat spacecraft is based on the Yukon satellite platform, developed by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. The spacecraft is equipped with transponders provided by Thales Alenia Space and Eutelsat, and it has a payload capacity of several hundred kilograms. The spacecraft is powered by solar panels and has a lithium-ion battery system, similar to those used in European Space Agency's Rosetta and NASA's Curiosity Rover. The KazSat spacecraft is also equipped with a propulsion system developed by Russian Federal Space Agency and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Launch

The first KazSat satellite was launched on June 17, 2006, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome using a Proton-K launch vehicle provided by International Launch Services. However, the satellite failed to reach its intended orbit due to a launch vehicle malfunction, which was investigated by Russian Federal Space Agency and European Space Agency. The second KazSat satellite was launched on July 16, 2011, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome using a Proton-M launch vehicle provided by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center and International Launch Services. The launch was successful, and the satellite reached its intended orbit, where it is operated by Kazakhstan Ministry of Investment and Development and Eutelsat.

Operations

The KazSat satellite is operated by Kazakhstan Ministry of Investment and Development and provides telecommunication services to Central Asia and Eastern Europe, including Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan. The satellite is used for broadband internet services, television broadcasting, and telephony services, and it is also used by European Space Agency's Galileo navigation system and Eutelsat's Hot Bird satellites. The KazSat satellite is controlled from the Kazakhstan Space Agency's control center in Astana, which is equipped with NASA's Deep Space Network and European Space Agency's European Space Operations Centre.

Specifications

The KazSat satellite has a mass of approximately 1,400 kilograms and is equipped with 12 transponders provided by Thales Alenia Space and Eutelsat. The satellite has a payload capacity of several hundred kilograms and is powered by solar panels with a total area of approximately 20 square meters. The satellite has a lithium-ion battery system with a capacity of approximately 100 ampere-hours, similar to those used in European Space Agency's Rosetta and NASA's Curiosity Rover. The KazSat satellite is also equipped with a propulsion system developed by Russian Federal Space Agency and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which includes a main engine with a thrust of approximately 500 Newtons. Category:Communications satellites