ASTANA – Kazakhstan needs to create its own communication satellites, said Kazakh Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry Bagdat Mussin during a March 18 solemn meeting to mark the 20th anniversary of the Kazakh National Center for Space Communication at the National Space Center, reported Kazinform. The center is recognized as the nation’s pioneer in establishing ground-based space infrastructure.
Photo credit: Kazinform
Addressing the meeting participants, Mussin outlined the team’s achievements and future tasks.
“First, this is the availability of communication and broadcasting satellites. Secondly, this is a unique ground-based space infrastructure for controlling spacecraft. Two complexes, unique in terms of technical equipment, Akkol and Kokterek, allow for full control of a constellation of communication and broadcasting satellites of the KazSat series. Kazakhstan has its own national space communications and broadcasting system, its own orbital frequency resource, and most importantly, a team of professional space communications engineers,” said Mussin.
Photo credit: Kazinform
Outlining new tasks, Mussin focused on the work to provide broadband internet access to remote rural settlements. To date, out of 504 villages, 176 rural settlements are connected to the internet. Work has also begun to connect 2,000 schools in Kazakhstan to high-speed internet via Starlink satellites.
Mussin drew the meeting participants’ attention to strengthening and increasing the KazSat satellite constellation by own efforts.
“We need an innovative approach, combining the efforts of the center and the Galam joint venture complex, whose task is to create its own satellites. It is necessary to use the spacecraft assembly and testing complex located here at the National Space Center,” the minister emphasized.
