Kazakhstan to designate insurance companies for KazSat-2 late October

Kazakhstan will designate insurance companies to have the KazSat-2 communications satellite insured after the satellite has been fully transferred to Kazakhstan, Novosti Kazakhstan quoted Talgat Mussabayev, Head of KazKosmos National Space Agency, as saying September 19. “The flight tests are smooth. Before the satellite is fully transferred to Kazakhstan, the Russian side is fully responsible for insurance-related issues. Kazakhstan will have the satellite insured only after it is fully transferred to Kazakhstan, which is late October”, Mr. Mussabayev said when speaking before the Majilis (lower chamber) September 19. He elaborated that the Agency will be looking through bids submitted by insurance companies. “The insurance company must be a Kazakhstan-based company. But it can have the satellite reinsured abroad, turning to leading foreign insurance companies, just like it was with KazSat-1”, Mussabayev said. Late August the satellite launched July 16, 2011 reached its orbital position. KazSat 2 is a Kazakh communication satellite designed by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. It features 12 Ku-band transponders for fixed communications and 4 Ku-band transponders for TV-transmissions and is intended for telecast, fixed satellite communication and data transmission for Kazakhstan and Central Asia. The unit weighs 1,330 kg, its service life is 12 years. According to Meirbek Moldabekov, Vice Chairman of KazKosmos, KazSat-2 cost $115 million and it will be recouped in 4 years’ time, if it is exploited at 80% of the capacities. It was to supplement the KazSat 1 satellite, but it has replaced Kazsat 1 due to the complete loss of the first satellite.