APS : Sunday, 24 December 2017
ALGIERS- With the successful launch, by the end of 2017, of its 6th satellite (Alcomsat-1), Algeria has strengthened its experience and harnessing of space technology,
considered as a strategic achievement in the service of the national sovereignty and the country’s socio-economic and cultural expansion.
Aware of the development stakes of space activities, the Algerian government adopted since November 2006 the National Space Programme (PSN) which aims at acquiring progressively space technology and meeting the national needs for a sustainable national development.
In this regard, Algeria had successfully launched the satellite Alcomsat-1, a multi-mission tool which aims at strengthening the national sovereignty in terms of telecommunications, through the implementation of an appropriate, high-performance and secure transmission network.
Equipped with 33 transponders, it provides television, radio, distance learning, telemedicine, videoconference and other services. It will also allow the continuity of telecommunication services in cases of major natural disasters and the increase in the capacity of the national telecommunication network.
Controlling borders is also among the objectives of the new satellite, which also aims at the delocalisation of activities and services concentrated in the north of the country thanks to an optimized telecommunication network and the reduction of the current exploitation costs relating to the use of the space capacity provided by international telecommunication systems.
Fruit of a partnership with China, this new satellite will allow the diffusion of internet on the KA band, covering all the Algerian territory, and providing the users in North Africa with medium speed internet via the Ku-band that will cover, in addition to Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Western Sahara, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Libya, Tunisia, North Chad and North Sudan.
Managed by Algerian engineers, more of 300 of whom have been trained in control, exploitation, expertise and assembly of satellites, Alcomsat-1, which also transmits on the L Band, will allow improving the quality of the signal quality of geolocation satellites (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo) and reducing the risks of interference and voluntary damaging of signals.
The use of the space tool dates back to 2002, long before the implementation of the national space programme 2006-2020, with the launch of Alsat-1, the first Algerian microsatellite dedicated to the observation of the Earth and which came to confirm the existence of national potentialities in the scientific field, which are the outcome of the work that started in the end of the 1980s with the creation of the National Centre of Space Studies (CNTS).
Continuing Algerian space programme until 2040
After the launch of Alcomsat-1, Algeria plans to continue its space exploration by launching the studies for the manufacturing of other latest generation satellites as part of a new national space programme 2020-2040.
The mastery and development process of space tools, notably algorithms of image processing and positioning allowed Algeria to continue its national space programme 2040, which provides for the launch of several other latest generation satellites , said recently ASAL’s director general Azzedine Oussedik.
This new programme will take effect after the completion of the national space programme 2006-2020, he said, pointing out that Alcomsat-1 will allow, in partnership with Algerie Telecom Satellite (ATS) and TV Broadcasting Algeria (TDA), offering services at attractive prices, notably in the field of television and radio broadcasting, to “position itself” in this competitive market.
