[November 22, 2008] KazSat 2 satellite 60% completed Tweet Nov 21, 2008 (Asia Pulse Data Source via COMTEX) -- ?- ?Work on the KazSat 2 satellite has reached 60% completion,? Talgat Mussabayev, Chairman of the Kazakh National Space Agency, announced during the 11th meeting of the subcommittee concerning the Baikonur complex in Astana on November 16. "Formal agreement between Kazakhstan and Russia on building the KazSat-2 satellite was signed in 2006. This space craft has been significantly modernized. Some of its systems have already passed tests," Mussabayev said. "Besides, it has become necessary to implement some engineering changes. Sensors and control systems will have to be replaced," he added. The KazSat-2 satellite is expected to solve a problem with the deficit of frequency resources that plagues the "KazSat" satellite today. KazSat-2 will have 16 transponders, while the KazSat satellite has only 12. KazSat-2 is expected to have better power resources in comparison with its predecessor. Kazakhstan plans to launch five communication satellites by 2021. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]