Uzbekistan to join Central Asian “space club”
Thales International (France) intends to cooperate with Uzbekistan in implementation projects on complex space systems, including launch and management of satellites for various purposes, TV channel “Uzbekistan 24” reports.
Thales International is one of the world's largest manufacturers of satellites and satellite equipment. It is also planned to organize a technological base in the territory of Uzbekistan for training local specialists. In addition, the French side proposes jointly to launch innovative projects to develop infrastructure for connecting Uzbekistan to the high-speed Internet network using space technologies.
This February, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed an order on measures to promote space research and technology in Uzbekistan, where stagnation in this sector was noted. The government commission that was set up according to presidential decree is entrusted with the study of the experience of developed countries in the space industry and the development of concepts for the introduction of space and satellite technologies in the country.
Turkmenistan currently is working on launching a second communications satellite. The launch of the first communication satellite “TürkmenÄlem 52°E” was carried out from the cosmodrome at Cape Canaveral in Florida (USA) on a Falcon-9 carrier rocket in 2015. The French company Thales Alenia Space built the space satellite, and two control centers were created to control the satellite – the main one in the Ahal province and the reserve one in Dashoguz province.
Turkmenistan intends to invest in the space sphere 1 billion 300 million manat (more than 370 million US dollars) within next few years.
As previously reported by ORIENT, the issue of creating a Regional Center for Space Research is being discussed currently in the scientific circles of the countries of Central Asia.
Uzbekistan's accession to the “space club” would have a beneficial effect on the development of cooperation between the countries of the region in the space industry.
