Azerspace-1/Africasat-1a

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Azerspace-1/Africasat-1a
Stamps of Azerbaijan, 2013-1070.jpg
On the stamp of Azerbaijan, 2013
Major contractors Orbital Sciences Corporation
Launch date February 7, 2013
Carrier rocket Ariane 5ECA

Azerspace-1/Africasat-1a,[1] also known as AzerSat-1 (Azerbaijani: AzərSat-1) is Azerbaijan's first satellite in space. Built by Orbital Sciences Corporation, it was launched into orbit on February 7, 2013 from Kourou in French Guiana at orbital positions 46° east.[2][3][4] The satellite was launched aboard Ariane 5. The satellite will cover Europe and significant part of Asian countries and Africa and will have transmission for TV, radio broadcasting and the internet.[5][6]

The satellite has an anticipated service life of 15 years.[7]

Contents

Cost[edit]

Construction of the satellite had a projected cost of US$ 120 million and was to be established by Orbital Sciences Corporation.[8][9] Arianespace’s president Jean-Yves Le Gall emphasized that the weight of the satellite would be 3 tonnes.[10] In April 2011, Export-Import Bank of the United States has approved financing of this project as 85 percent of construction cost which will be provided to the Azerbaijani side in the form of a loan, while the remaining 15 percent will be paid by state funds.[11][12][13] The funds will be issued to Azerkosmos OJSC.[14]

Satellite specifications[edit]

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.

Azersat/Africasat-1A will have 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.[15][16]

Orbit[edit]

The satellite will be based on Orbital’s flight-proven STAR-2 platform and will generate approximately five kilowatts of payload power for 36 active transponders.[17] Upon completion of in-orbit testing, operational control of the satellite was handed over to Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Communications and IT.

Operation[edit]

The satellite's operations will be controlled by a state-run company, Azerkosmos, operating under the Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Communications and IT.[18] Azersat/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,[15] and which will be using about 40 percent of the satellite’s total capacity. Azerbaijan will use 20 percent, with the remaining capacity to be available for other customers.[19]

Launch[edit]

The Azersat/Africasat-1A has had a planned launch for mid-2012 by Europe’s Arianespace launch consortium under a separate contract valued at $93 million. Azerbaijan and its bank consortium, led by BNP Paribas, has reportedly been negotiating with France’s Coface export-credit agency to back the launch-services contract. On 23 November 2011, it was confirmed the launch would proceed within the expected 2012 timetable.[19][20]

Future plans[edit]

The launch of its own satellite on orbit became Azerbaijan's first action in realizing prospective projects to turn itself into a country with a space industry.[21][22] In addition, deputy director of Azerbaijan National Aerospace Agency, Tofig Suleymanov in April 2011 hinted that Azerbaijan may launch second artificial satellite to study the Earth's interior and atmosphere in 2014.[23][24][25] In 26 November 2011, Head of Azercosmos, Rashad Nabiyev has reported that launch of the second satellite expected to start at 2015.[26][27]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "MEASAT in final lap for satellite launch next week". Business Times. 2 February 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2013. 
  2. ^ "Arianespace signs deal to launch Azerbaijani satellite". news.az. Archived from the original on 8 November 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010. 
  3. ^ "Azerbaijan signs deal with Arianespace to launch satellite". Space-Travel.com. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010. 
  4. ^ Orbital Contracted to Build Azerbaijan’s First Satellite
  5. ^ Baku developing satellite to kick off national space program
  6. ^ Mohney, Doug. "New Oil Money Fueling Modest Space Dreams and Political Heartburn". Retrieved 3 June 2011. 
  7. ^ "Baku Reaches For The Stars: Azerbaijan Launches First Satellite". February 07, 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2013. 
  8. ^ Азербайджан запустит в космос первый спутник связи (Russian)
  9. ^ Kucera, Joshua. "Azerbaijan: Baku’s Satellite Deal Sends Armenian Diaspora Groups into Orbit". Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2011. 
  10. ^ "Azerbaijan Communications Ministry prepares to sign a contract for 100% insurance of national satellite". abc,az. Retrieved 5 November 2010. 
  11. ^ "US Ex-Im approves loan for construction of Azerbaijani satellite Azerspace". Trend News Agency. Retrieved 29 April 2011. 
  12. ^ "Экспортно-Импортный Банк США выделит кредит на строительство спутника AzerSat". Retrieved 29 April 2011. 
  13. ^ "Одобрен кредит для строительства азербайджанского спутника". Day,az. Retrieved 29 April 2011. 
  14. ^ "2012 state budget to increase funds to launch national satellite into orbit". News.az. Retrieved 23 November 2011. 
  15. ^ a b http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/Publications/Azerspace_Fact.pdf
  16. ^ "Azerspace/Africasat-1a coverages & footprints". Satlaunch. Retrieved 9 October 2011. 
  17. ^ "AZERBAIJAN’S FIRST SATELLITE TO BE LAUNCHED IN 2012". Embassy of Azerbaijan. Retrieved 2 August 2010. 
  18. ^ Abbasov, Shahin. "Does Azerbaijan Have the Cash to Finance Its First Satellite?". Retrieved 29 April 2011. 
  19. ^ a b http://www.spacenews.com/policy/110608-france-azerbaijan-space-cooperation.html
  20. ^ "Deputy Minister: Work is on schedule for launching Azerbaijani first satellite". En.trend.az. Trend News Agency. Retrieved 23 November 2011. 
  21. ^ Meeting held to coordinate orbital slots for Azersat
  22. ^ Азербайджан выведет в космос два спутника связи (Russian)
  23. ^ "Второй азербайджанский спутник может быть выведен на орбиту в 2014 году". Retrieved 18 May 2011. 
  24. ^ "Azerbaijan may launch another artificial satellite". Retrieved 29 April 2011. 
  25. ^ "Azerbaijani second satellite to be financed through internal funds". Retrieved 30 April 2011. 
  26. ^ "Azercosmos to launch Azerbaijan’s second national satellite by 2015". abc.az. Retrieved 26 November 2011. 
  27. ^ "Azerbaijan set to launch second satellite into orbit in 2015". news.az. Retrieved 26 November 2011. 

External links[edit]
Kosmos 2482  · Kosmos 2483  · Kosmos 2484 | JSE Reda 4 · Jissho Eisei | STSAT-2C | TDRS-K | Intelsat 27 | Globalstar M078 · Globalstar M087 · Globalstar M093 · Globalstar M094 · Globalstar M095 · Globalstar M096 | Azerspace-1/Africasat-1a · Amazonas 3 | Progress M-18M | Landsat 8 | SARAL · Sapphire · NEOSSat · UniBRITE-1 · TUGSAT-1 · AAUSAT3 · STRaND-1 | SpaceX CRS-2 | USA-241 | Satmex 8 | Soyuz TMA-08M | Anik G1 | Bion-M No.1 (AIST No.2 · BeeSat-2 · BeeSat-3 · SOMP · Dove 2 · OSSI-1) | Cygnus Mass Simulator · Dove 1 · Alexander · Graham · Bell | Progress M-19M | Gaofen 1 · TurkSat-3USat · NEE-01 Pegaso · CubeBug-1 | Kosmos 2485 | Zhongxing 11 | Proba-V · VNREDSat 1A · ESTCube-1 | Eutelsat 3D | USA-242 | USA-243 | Soyuz TMA-09M | SES-6 | Albert Einstein ATV | Kosmos 2486 | Shenzhou 10
Payloads are separated by bullets ( · ), launches by pipes ( | ). Manned flights are indicated in bold text. Uncatalogued launch failures are listed in italics. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are denoted in (brackets).
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