Kazakhstan to launch Earth-sensing satellites by 2014

Kazakhstan is planning to launch two satellites for remote sensing of the Earth, Interfax-Kazakhstan reports, citing Ongarbek Alipbeki, Director of Kazakhstan Garysh Sapary, Kazakh national space company, as saying at the fifth international conference called Space surveys at the top of high technologies. According to Alipbeki, the two satellites will be taking photographs of the Earth and Kazakhstan in particular. The space vehicles' service life is seven years. French companies Astrium and SSTL will supply optics for the satellites. As per Alipbeki, the satellites will be launched by 2014.