Azerspace-1/Africasat-1a explained

Azerspace-1/Africasat-a
Mission Type:Communications
Operator:Azercosmos
Cospar Id:2013-006B
Satcat:39079
Mission Duration:15 years
Spacecraft Bus:GEOStar-2
Manufacturer:Orbital Sciences Corporation
Launch Mass:3275kg (7,220lb)[1]
Launch Date: UTC[2]
Launch Rocket:Ariane 5ECA VA212
Launch Site:Kourou ELA-3
Launch Contractor:Arianespace
Orbit Epoch:29 October 2013, 20:36:34 UTC[3]
Orbit Reference:Geocentric
Orbit Regime:Geostationary
Orbit Periapsis:35781km (22,233miles)
Orbit Apoapsis:35802km (22,246miles)
Orbit Inclination:0.03 degrees
Orbit Period:1,436.05 minutes
Apsis:gee
Trans Band:12 Ku-band transponders
24 C-band transponders
Trans Coverage:Europe, Central Asia
(Ku-band and C-band)
Africa (C-band only)

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]

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

Cost

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

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 2.5x single shell super-elliptical deployable reflector, with a 1.4x single shell super-elliptical deck-mounted reflector. There will also be 12 active Ku-band transponders, using a 2.5x 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

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

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

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

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Azerspace/Africasat 1a. Gunter. Krebs. Gunter's Space Page. 31 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131030103042/http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/azerspace-1.htm. 30 October 2013. live. dmy-all.
  2. Web site: Launch Log. Jonathan. McDowell. Jonathan's Space Page. 31 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20091113093423/http://planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt. 13 November 2009. live. dmy-all.
  3. Web site: AZERSPACE 1 Satellite details 2013-006B NORAD 39079. N2YO. 29 October 2013. 31 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131104095718/http://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=39079. 4 November 2013. live. dmy-all.
  4. Web site: MEASAT in final lap for satellite launch next week . https://archive.today/20130413153914/http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20130202000020/Article/index_html . dead . 13 April 2013 . Business Times . 2 February 2013 . 12 February 2013 .
  5. Web site: Arianespace signs deal to launch Azerbaijani satellite. news.az. 5 November 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101108155851/http://www.news.az/articles/tech/26038. 8 November 2010 . live.
  6. Web site: Azerbaijan signs deal with Arianespace to launch satellite. Space-Travel.com. 5 November 2010. https://archive.today/20101106142156/http://www.space-travel.com/reports/Azerbaijan_signs_deal_with_Arianespace_to_launch_satellite_999.html. 6 November 2010. live. dmy-all.
  7. Web site: Orbital Contracted to Build Azerbaijan's First Satellite . 2010-05-28 . https://archive.today/20110510101859/http://www.satellitetoday.com/st/headlines/Orbital-Contracted-to-Build-Azerbaijans-First-Satellite_34220.html . 2011-05-10 . live .
  8. Web site: Baku developing satellite to kick off national space program . 2009-12-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110515195438/http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=baku-developing-satellite-to-kick-off-national-space-program-2009-12-03 . 2011-05-15 . live .
  9. Web site: Mohney. Doug. New Oil Money Fueling Modest Space Dreams and Political Heartburn. 3 June 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110605044129/http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/181505-new-oil-money-fueling-modest-space-dreams-political.htm. 5 June 2011. live. dmy-all.
  10. News: Baku Reaches For The Stars: Azerbaijan Launches First Satellite. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty . February 7, 2013. 8 February 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130208053245/http://www.rferl.org/content/azerbaijan-satellite-launch--telecommunications/24895830.html. 8 February 2013. live. dmy-all.
  11. http://www.iks-media.ru/news/2865181.html Азербайджан запустит в космос первый спутник связи
  12. News: Kucera. Joshua. Azerbaijan: Baku's Satellite Deal Sends Armenian Diaspora Groups into Orbit. Eurasianet . 8 May 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110514232500/http://www.eurasianet.org/node/63437. 14 May 2011 . live.
  13. Web site: Azerbaijan Communications Ministry prepares to sign a contract for 100 per cent insurance of national satellite . abc, az . 5 November 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111003221424/http://abc.az/eng/news_05_11_2010_49275.html . 3 October 2011 .
  14. Web site: US Ex-Im approves loan for construction of Azerbaijani satellite Azerspace. 29 April 2011 . Trend News Agency. 29 April 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110501072945/http://en.trend.az/capital/it/1868667.html. 1 May 2011. live. dmy-all.
  15. Web site: Экспортно-Импортный Банк США выделит кредит на строительство спутника AzerSat . 29 April 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110502001404/http://www.1news.az/economy/tech/20110429010712351.html . 2 May 2011 .
  16. Web site: Одобрен кредит для строительства азербайджанского спутника. 29 April 2011. Day.az. 29 April 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110502165459/http://news.day.az/economy/264686.html. 2 May 2011. live. dmy-all.
  17. Web site: 2012 state budget to increase funds to launch national satellite into orbit. News.az. 23 November 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111120003230/http://www.news.az/articles/tech/49002. 20 November 2011. live. dmy-all.
  18. Web site: Home . 2012-08-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121001105327/http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/Publications/Azerspace_Fact.pdf . 2012-10-01 . live .
  19. Web site: Azerspace/Africasat-1a coverages & footprints. Satlaunch. 9 October 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111108132328/http://www.satlaunch.net/2011/10/azerspaceafricasat-1a-coverages.html. 8 November 2011. live. dmy-all.
  20. Web site: Azerbaijan's first satellite to be launched in 2012. Embassy of Azerbaijan. 2 August 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20150923181135/http://www.azembassy.com/new/nl/2010/nl6.html. 23 September 2015. dead. dmy-all.
  21. Web site: Azerspace . 2018-02-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180207005059/https://www.satbeams.com/satellites?norad=39079 . 2018-02-07 . live .
  22. https://archive.today/20130203082927/http://www.spacenews.com/policy/110608-france-azerbaijan-space-cooperation.html Space News
  23. Web site: Selding. Peter. Azerbaijan's Blueprint for a Domestic Space Industry Includes Global Competition for Optical Satellite. https://archive.today/20141107032656/http://www.spacenews.com/article/civil-space/41986azerbaijan%E2%80%99s-blueprint-for-a-domestic-space-industry-includes-global. dead. November 7, 2014. www.spacenews.com. 7 November 2014.
  24. Web site: Channel list . 2018-02-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180219210809/http://azercosmos.az/telecommunication-channel-list . 2018-02-19 . live .
  25. http://www.news.az/articles/2595 Meeting held to coordinate orbital slots for Azersat
  26. http://www.comnews.ru/index.cfm?id=46893&tempo=150 Азербайджан выведет в космос два спутника связи
  27. Web site: Второй азербайджанский спутник может быть выведен на орбиту в 2014 году . 18 May 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110725113310/http://www.zerkalo.az/2011-05-18/economics/19571- . 25 July 2011 .
  28. Web site: Azerbaijan may launch another artificial satellite. 29 April 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303185123/http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2011/04/09/5434996.htm. 3 March 2016. live. dmy-all.
  29. Web site: Azerbaijani second satellite to be financed through internal funds. 30 April 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052336/http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2011/04/29/5477732.htm. 4 March 2016. live. dmy-all.
  30. Web site: Azercosmos to launch Azerbaijan's second national satellite by 2015 . abc.az . 26 November 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304123605/http://abc.az/eng/news/main/59912.html . 4 March 2016 .
  31. Web site: Azerbaijan set to launch second satellite into orbit in 2015. news.az. 26 November 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111129012145/http://www.news.az/articles/tech/49493. 29 November 2011. live. dmy-all.
  32. Web site: Launch schedule . SpaceFlight Now . Clark . Stephen . August 28, 2018 . August 29, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161224185459/http://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/ . December 24, 2016 . live . mdy-all .
  33. Web site: AZERCOSMOS: AZERSPACE-2 SATELLITE TO BE LAUNCHED IN APRIL . 2018-02-19 . 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 .
  34. Web site: Arianespace Selected to Launch Azerspace-2/Intelsat 38 Satellite at 45 Degrees East . 2018-02-19 . 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 .
  35. Web site: "Azerspace-2" satellite to be launched in early 2018 . 2018-02-19 . 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 .

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