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6 January 2010 Sri Lanka plans satellite launch |
Sri Lanka is progressing with its plans to launch the country’s first geostationary satellite by inviting two Malaysian companies: Maxis Communications Berhad and Telekom Malaysia to invest in the US$150 million maiden satellite project. Both telecom companies have operations in Sri Lanka and have expressed interest in the project and responses are expected from the two telecom companies later this year. Sri Lanka signed an agreement with the United Kingdom-based Surrey Satellite Technologies Limited (SSTL) last November to develop a Sri Lankan national space capability using an SSTL Earth Observation satellite and commencing the definition and design of Sri Lanka’s first communications satellite. Sri Lanka will get access to UKGMC-2 a satellite on polar orbit that has disaster monitoring capabilities.
The agreement which includes a training and development program and collaborative activities between the University of Surrey and leading Sri Lankan academic institutes, will promote academic, industrial and socio-economic development.
Professor Sir Martin Sweeting, of SSTL, who also chairs the Space Centre of the University of Surrey, said “Sri Lanka has already demonstrated a keen interest in space based technology, supported through numerous programs within the country’s universities and other academic organisations such as the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies. Our close partnership will allow Sri Lanka to fully embrace the benefits of space technology through training and education while stimulating industrial development. The economic benefits resulting from space based communications including TV, broadband services and earth observation applications are substantial and will positively contribute to the country’s development as a “high-tech” trading nation”.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), SSTL will provide an Earth observation capability and start work on a geostationary communications satellite. By partnering with SSTL for Earth observation, Sri Lanka will become an important member of the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) with the ability to participate in international disaster relief support activities coordinated by the United Nations through the International Charter. SSTL will also advise on the establishment of the Sri Lanka Space Agency (SLASA), building on SSTL’s experience of supporting the formation of five previous national agencies.
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