Angola’s Telecommunications Satellite, Angosat-2, is ready to start its commercial process, just a month and a half after its launch into orbit.
The information in regard to the Angosat-2 was advanced in Luanda, by the Minister of Telecommunications Information and Social Communication Technologies, Mário Oliveira, who revealed that the final tests of the satellite had been concluded.
According to Mário, “The final tests of Angosat-2 were signed with the Russian side. Today the satellite is ours.”
The Minister highlighted the technical valences and benefits of the National Space Programme, from the perspective of economic development, the Satellite Mission and Control Center (MCC) and the space applications TECH-Gest, TECH-Agro and TECH-Ecology.
The Angosat-2 launched on the 12th of October from the Baikonur cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan, is in the geostationary position 23E, 36 thousand kilometers from the earth’s surface with coverage for the entire African continent and part of Europe with costs estimated at USD 320 Million and lifetime in orbit of 15 to 18 years.
Furthermore, ANGOSAT-2 is deemed to have a High Data Transmission Rate (HTS) and guarantees full coverage of the national territory, and as well provides telecommunications services such as telephony, internet, telemedicine, telecasting and radio broadcasting.
Additionally, it has 24 beams in the Ku band covering the entire Southern African region (SADC) and a transponder in the Ka band. Some 25 GGPEN specialists have been trained and certified by the construction company to operate the ANGOSAT-2.
The training of the GGPEN specialists focused on the architecture, design and functionalities of the platform and payload, as well as practical training on the use of operating software from the Coordination and Mission Center installed in Luanda.
