Bangladesh plans own orbital slot for second satellite

[Homo Sapiens]

https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2018/05/26/bangladesh-plans-own-orbital-slot-for-second-satellite


Bangladesh plans own orbital slot for second satellite
News Desk, bdnews24.com

Published: 2018-05-26 02:25:56.0 BdST Updated: 2018-05-26 02:40:09.0 BdST

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The government has planned Bangladesh’s own orbital slot as it mulls over launching a second satellite after the successful placement of the first one into a rented slot.

Bangabandhu-1 is moving round the Earth at 119.1 degrees east, an orbital slot rented from Moscow-based Intersputnik International Organization of Space Communication for 45 years.

The government has applied for allotment of 100 degrees east and 74 degrees east orbital slots to the International Communication Union or ITU, according to IT and Telecom Minister Mustafa Jabbar.

He says they are planning to keep one of these slots for ‘Bangabandhu-2’.

India has also applied for the 100 degrees east slot while the 76 degrees east is still unclaimed.
“We are trying to get both,” Jabbar told bdnews24.com.

The minister said the ‘Bangabandhu-2’ would cost less than the Tk 30 billion Bangabandhu-1 did as the ground station at Gazipur is already in operation.

Bangladesh’s first geostationary communication satellite Bangabandhu-1 reached its orbital slot 11 days after SpaceX’s most modern rocket blasted off carrying the satellite from the US early on May 12.

Bangladesh had to rent the slot after it failed to secure the two slots it has applied for.

In 2014, the country became a member of ITU’s Asia-Pacific Council for four years.

Some hoped at the time the membership would give Bangladesh some benefits in getting the two slots, but that did not happen.

Bangladesh had to find an alternative when ITU rejected its application for the 102 degrees east orbital slot as 20 other countries had applied for it long before it did.

The country failed again to secure the 69 degrees east slot due to objection by Malaysia, Singapore, and China.

Bangladesh then decided to wait no longer and rent the orbital slot from the Russian organisation at over Tk 2.18 billion.

Mohammad Mesbahuzzaman, the director of the Bangabandhu-1 project, said Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission had tried to get a suitable orbit for the satellite.

“We would not have been able to launch the satellite if we did not have 119.1 degrees east,” he said.

He said foreign experts have arrived in Bangladesh to help operate the satellite. The backup ground station in Rangamati’s Betnunia has also received signal from the satellite.

It would take three months for the satellite to go fully operational after tests, according to him.

Mesbahuzzaman said 18 young workers are manning the Gazipur ground station now and 12 others will join them soon.

All of them took training in France, where the satellite was built at Thales Alenia Space facilities.

Consultant Space Partnership International recommended appointing 105 people to operate the satellite.

Mesbahuzzaman said they would look after the matter after Bangladesh Communication Satellite Company set up to operate the satellite goes fully independent.

“We have been working for a long time. It will surely be a good company,” said the project director.

 

[bête noire]

The country failed again to secure the 69 degrees east slot due to objection by Malaysia, Singapore, and China.

Bangladesh then decided to wait no longer and rent the orbital slot from the Russian organisation at over Tk 2.18 billion.

Reason for objection?

 

[Species]

We need to launch Earth Observation satellites now as soon as possible.

Reason for objection?

They also applied for the same orbital slot.

I guess we were already allotted an orbital slot earlier but couldn't utilise it by launching a satellite within the time-frame suggested by ITU. That made us to to reapply for another orbital slot.

 

[UKBengali]

Go BD.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

Business
28 May, 2018 08:15:50 AM

Plan underway to launch Bangabandhu-2: Minister
Independent Online Desk

The government has planned to launch Bangabandhu-2 satellite into the space, even before Bangabandhu-1 starts its commercial activities, said Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology (IT) Minister Mustafa Jabbar, reports UNB.

"The government has applied for the allotment of two orbital slots for Bangabandhu-1, 100 degrees east and 74 degrees east from International Communication Union (ITU). Although India has claimed for the former, anyone of the slots will be enough for us," Minister Jabbar told the news agency.

Since the ground stations in Gazipur and Betbunia are operational, he said, the production costs of Bangabandhu-2 will be lower than the first one.

Project director of Bangabandhu-1 Mezbahuzzaman said after reaching its orbital slot both of its ground stations are receiving signals from the satellite. Out of the two stations, the majority of Bangabandhu-1's controlling and maintenance will be done from there, he said adding that foreign experts have also arrived there for providing assistance.

It will take another 2-3 months for the satellite to go into its full operations, the project director mentioned.

Consulting firm Space Partnership International (SPI) has recommended appointing 105 people to operate the satellite from the ground stations.

Although all the 105 positions may not be filled at once, Bangladesh Communication Satellite Company Ltd (BCSCL) will oversee the matter once it becomes a separate entity. BCSCL Managing Director Saiful Islam told the news agency that it was decided in a recent board meeting that BCSCL could start marketing for Bangabandhu-1 as they will be able to operate commercially in August next.

He said negotiations are already underway with the Philippines and Indonesia over renting out Bangabandhu-1. Saiful Islam said there will be 40 transponders in the satellite, out of which 20 will be reserved for use by Bangladesh and another 20 will be rented out commercially. Mezbahuz-zaman said 18 Bangladeshi personnel are working at the Gazipur ground station now and 12 more will join them soon.
http://www.theindependentbd.com/post/151758

 

[Ideas_R_Bulletproof]

We need to launch Earth Observation satellites now as soon as possible.



They also applied for the same orbital slot.

I guess we were already allotted an orbital slot earlier but couldn't utilise it by launching a satellite within the time-frame suggested by ITU. That made us to to reapply for another orbital slot.

there are some countries who apply for 'paper satellites', which means, they apply for a satellite just to occupy the slot and not to let others have it.... Bangladesh became a member of ITU Council to improve bargaining power in getting own slot.... but they found it out the hard way that it doesn't work like that.... you have to build your influence in the right places to get your hands on such precious real estate....

btw, 76 degree east has a bigger possibility of getting... but its coverage potential is less than 74 degree east.... but India already has five satellites within 74 east....