Space Security Index

2010 Development
Various countries prepare or declare launching of their first satellites, mainly with partners
In September 2010, Euroconsult, a leading research rm specializing in the satellite sector,
released a report forecasting that more than 1,200 satellites are expected to be launched over
the next 10 years, 5 a number of which will be the rst for some nations. It is estimated that
122 satellites will be launched annually: this gure constitutes a signicant increase over
77, the average for the previous decade. According to the report “Satellites to be built and
launched by 2019, World Market Survey,” national governments will be the main drivers
of the projected growth and will account for more than two-thirds of all satellite launches. 6
In November 2010, it was announced that Azerbaijan had selected Arianespace to launch its
rst communications satellite. 7 e satellite, to be built by Orbital Sciences Corporation of
the U.S. using a STAR-2 platform, will provide various communications services, not only
for Azerbaijan, but also for parts of Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. 8 It is
slated to be launched to geostationary transfer orbit by the end of 2012 aboard an Ariane 5
rocket from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana.
In 2010, Bolivia also announced that it was planning to launch its rst communications
satellite by 2013, with signicant nancial and technical assistance from China. 9 e
construction and launch of the Bolivian satellite, which is expected to cost $300-million,
were made possible by China’s oer to fund the project for the impoverished South
American country “on easy loan terms.” 10 In April, the executive director of the Bolivian
Space Agency, Willy Herbas, signed a memorandum of understanding with Great Wall
Industries Corporation to manufacture and launch the satellite. 11
e launch of the rst Latvian nano-satellite, Venta 1, was postponed — for the second time
— until the rst quarter of 2011. 12 e small communications satellite was rst scheduled to
be launched in December 2009 by ISRO aboard an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
(PSLV). at launch date was initially postponed to March 2010 when a lack of funds
caused the project to fall behind schedule. 13 Venta-1 will have automatic identication
system transmitters to supervise ship trac in Europe. 14
e launch of the rst Singaporean satellite, also to be own into orbit aboard an Indian
PSLV, was also postponed to an undetermined date in 2011. 15 e refrigerator-sized satellite,
called X-Sat, was rst scheduled to be launched in 2007. 16 In March 2010, it was originally
reported that the satellite would be ready to be launched in June or July 2010, 17 before the
launch was rst postponed to December 18 and then to 2011.
China is also helping other countries to acquire their rst satellites. e Chinese government
agreed to assist with the construction of Laos’ rst satellite and its respective ground control
stations. 19 e joint venture, funded with Chinese loans, is expected to cost $250-million.
A launch date of the third quarter of 2013 was set. 20 China also pledged to help launch
Bangladesh’s rst satellite, 21 although no timeline was announced.
Belarus signed a framework of space cooperation with Ukraine 22 and cooperated with Russia
on two space programs: development of nanotechnologies for the space sector and spino
applications, and development of new space technologies for economic development. 23
Russia was expected to launch the rst (remote sensing) Belarus satellite in early 2011. 24
Civil Space Programs
79