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An upgraded version of Russian launch vehicle Proton-M has taken off early in the morning today, Monday, April 28, 2014, from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan carrying the Kazakh telecommunications satellite KazSat-3 and the Russian relay satellite Luch-5V, Tengrinews reports from Baikonur.
The carrier rocket with Briz-M upper stage was launched on schedule - at 10:25 Astana time (04:25 GMT). At 20:00 Astana time (14:00 GMT) KazSat-3 will separate into its orbit.
The new satellite will work in tandem with KazSat-2 launched in 2011. The satellites are designed so as to back up one one another in case of failures. Satellites form a complete communication system, which includes two sets of ground spacecraft controls - main "Akkol" and standby "Almaty".
This way Kazakhstan becomes more independent from foreign communications and broadcasting systems. Use of the Kazakh satellites is expected to reduce imports of telecommunication services by approximately 4 billion tenge per year (22 million USD). In addition, the launch of KazSat-3 will consolidate Kazakhstan’s orbital position with the International Telecommunication Union.
The Kazakhstani national satellite system KazSat was created to meet the needs of Kazakh telecom operators now and in the near future. The system also improves information security of the country, provides public authorities with independent communication channels and prevents outflow of funds spent to rent foreign satellites.
KazSat devices are able to provide DHT services of HD television broadcasting, broadband VSAT Internet access and transmit voice and data for teleconferences. Kazakhstan's domestic market in all these segments in expected to continue growing in the coming years.
The total cost of KazSat-3 project is 27 billion tenge (148 million USD).
KazSat-3 is a commercial geostationary telecommunication satellite made by Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems company in Russia with communications payload supplied by Thales Alenia Space, a French-Italian aerospace company.
It is based on Ekspress-1000NTA platform designed by the Reshetnev company and carries 28 active Ku-band transponders. KazSat-3 will operate at 58,5°E for a lifespan is a least 15 years.
Kazcosmos, the National Space Agency of Kazakhstan, intends to launch three spacecrafts in 2014. In addition to KazSat-3 satellite, two remote sensing satellites are to be delivered into the orbit. Kazakhstan’s first Earth observation satellite KazEOSat-1 will be launched on April 28 from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The launch of the second satellite is scheduled for June 2014.
Deputy chairman of Kazcosmos Yerkin Shaimagambetov also revealed plans to launch another telecommunication satellite - KazSat-4 - to enhance provision of broadband Internet. Shaimagambetov added that this project was being negotiated with Kazakhstan's Internet providers and its feasibility was being calculated.
KazSat-4 will be created in Kazakhstan on a new assembly and testing plant in Astana, which will start operating in 2015.
Reporting by Dmitry Khegai, writing by Dinara Urazova, editing by Tatyana Kuzmina
