Azercosmos Explained

Azercosmos OJSCo
Type:	Open Joint Stock Company
Industry:	Satellite operations
Services:	Communication services, Earth observation
Founders:	-->
Hq Location City:	Baku, Azerbaijan
Areas Served:	-->
Key People:	Samaddin Asadov ^[1]
Owner:	Government of Azerbaijan
Num Employees:	20349

Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azercosmos) (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan Respublikasının Kosmik Agentliyi - Azərkosmos ) is a public legal entity under Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan and successor of Azercosmos Open Joint Stock Company,^[2] the first satellite operator in the Caucasus region entirely owned by the Government of Azerbaijan. 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] Since 2021 the Chairman of the Broad of Azercosmos is Samaddin Asadov.^{[5] [6]}

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".^[7] 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.^[8] 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.^[9] 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.^[10]

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.^[11]

In October 2023, Azerbaijan signed up to China’s international moon base project, ILRS.^[12]

Satellites

• 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.^[13] 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.^[14]
• 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.^[15] 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.^{[16] [17]}
• Azersky – Earth Observation Satellite. In December 2014, Azercosmos took over the rights to operate and commercialize Azersky, a high resolution (1.5m (04.9feet) black and white and 6m (20feet) color) optical Earth observation satellite.^[4] The imaging swath width of Azersky is 60km×60kmkm (40miles×40mileskm); the maximum is 60km×600kmkm (40miles×400mileskm).^[18]

Services

Azercosmos operates a teleport in Baku, which receives signals via intermediary satellites, metronet, and fiber. This teleport enables uplink services, data distribution, and internet connectivity.^[19]

See also

• • Azerbaijan National Aerospace Agency Azerspace-1/Africasat-1a
• Azerbaijan's space program

Notes and References

1. Web site: Chairman of the Board of Azercosmos . Azercosmos.
2. Web site: Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the establishment of the public legal entity “Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azercosmos)”.
3. Web site: AZERSPACE-1 SATELLITE . 2018-02-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180207005349/https://www.ukrinform.net/info/azers.html . 2018-02-07 . live .
4. Web site: AzerSky satellite to help monitor agricultural crops in Azerbaijan . 2018-02-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180206190218/https://www.azernews.az/business/121663.html . 2018-02-06 . live .
5. Web site: 2021-06-16 . Kosmik Agentlikdə yüksək vəzifəyə təyinat . 2024-03-29 . Oxu.Az . az.
6. Web site: For Azerbaijan, the sky is not the limit . 2024-04-16 . www.bbc.com.
7. Web site: Ilham Aliyev observed the launch of the first Azerbaijani telecommunications satellite "Azerspace-1" into orbit . 2018-02-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180207010812/http://en.president.az/articles/7257 . 2018-02-07 . live .
8. Web site: 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 . 2018-02-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160418193925/http://mincom.gov.az/assets/Uploads/Order-of-President-on-approval-Space-R.doc . 2016-04-18 . live .
9. Web site: Azerspace-1 satellite launching date announced . 2018-02-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180206190331/https://www.azernews.az/nation/48416.html . 2018-02-06 . live .
10. Web site: Azerspace/Africasat-1a is prepared for Arianespace’s first Ariane 5 launch in 2013 . 2018-02-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180207005222/http://www.arianespace.com/mission-update/azerspaceafricasat-1a-is-prepared-for-arianespaces-first-ariane-5-launch-in-2013-2/ . 2018-02-07 . live .
11. Web site: Azercosmos OJSC taken out from subordination of Ministry of Transport, Communication and High Technologies . 2018-02-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180207005044/http://en.apa.az/azerbaijan-economy/infrastructure/azerbaijani-president-issues-order-on-establishment-of-azercosmos-ojsc.html . 2018-02-07 . dead .
12. Web site: Jones . Andrew . 2023-10-08 . Azerbaijan signs up to China’s international moon base project . 2024-04-16 . SpaceNews . en-US.
13. Web site: Azerspace/Africasat 1a . 2018-02-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131030103042/http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/azerspace-1.htm . 2013-10-30 . live .
14. Web site: Azerspace . 2018-02-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180207005059/https://www.satbeams.com/satellites?norad=39079 . 2018-02-07 . live .
15. Web site: AZERCOSMOS: AZERSPACE-2 SATELLITE TO BE LAUNCHED IN APRIL . 2018-02-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180206193059/http://cbc.az/en/en/news/azercosmos-azerspace-2-satellite-to-be-launched-in-april1515654599 . 2018-02-06 . dead .
16. Web site: Arianespace Selected to Launch Azerspace-2/Intelsat 38 Satellite at 45 Degrees East . 2018-02-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180207005224/http://www.arianespace.com/press-release/arianespace-selected-to-launch-azerspace-2intelsat-38-satellite-at-45-degrees-east/ . 2018-02-07 . live .
17. Web site: “Azerspace-2” satellite to be launched in early 2018 . 2018-02-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180207005119/https://en.azvision.az/news/76793/azerspace-2-satellite-to-be-launched-in-early-2018.html . 2018-02-07 . live .
18. Web site: ESA SPOT-7 Instruments. ESA. May 22, 2023.
19. Web site: Teleport . Azercosmos . 10 December 2021.