Azerbaijan is successfully developing the national space industry. This is the country's adequate response to modern global challenges and trends, its progress towards the goal set in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
President Ilham Aliyev expressed the goal clearly and precisely: "Azerbaijan should be a leader in the Fourth Industrial Revolution."
Among the large-scale projects implemented to ensure technological development and the formation of an innovative society in the country, the space field construction and development program has a special place.
The beginning of a new cosmic history
In 2008, the State Program "On the creation and development of the space industry in the Republic of Azerbaijan" was adopted. This was the beginning of the new space history of Azerbaijan.
In 2010, "Azerkosmos" Open Joint Stock Company was established for the purpose of launching, managing and operating satellites.
3 years later, a historic event for the country took place: in 2013, the first satellite of Azerbaijan - "Azerspace-1" telecommunication satellite - was put into orbit.
Soon, further steps were taken towards the development of the space field: in 2014, the "Azersky" remote observation of the Earth was launched, and in 2018, the "Azerspace-2" telecommunication satellite was put into orbit.
Azerbaijan became the first space country of the region, a full member of the international "space club".
Starting as a satellite operator, Azerkosmos has been operating as the Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan since 2021 by the Order of President Ilham Aliyev. The institution is currently the "spokesman" of the country in the global space arena.
Support for national security, contribution to economic development
Satellites owned and managed by Azerbaijan serve the country's information security and national statehood. The implementation of space satellite projects has completely eliminated Azerbaijan's dependence on other countries in the space field. The country has turned from an importer to an exporter of services in this field.
Satellites are a source of national pride as well as a commercial project.
Azerkosmos has gained a unique position in the global and regional satellite services market by providing services to more than 200 customers from 50 countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia through telecommunication satellites and space solutions. This serves the strengthening and development of the economy of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan has received more than 550 million manats from the provision of telecommunication and optical satellite services. In 2023, the loan obligations of 116.6 million US dollars for the production of Azerbaijan's first telecommunication satellite "Azerspace-1" and 89.6 million US dollars for orbiting services (206.2 million US dollars in total) were fully paid.
Azerbaijan's unique and favorable geographical position, current stability and economic development have attracted the attention of global space companies. Business-purpose ground infrastructures of Italian, Japanese and Chinese companies have been installed in the country. Currently, about 20 ground stations belonging to various international companies are serving in the Main Terrestrial Satellite Management Center, Baku teleport.
The partnership of the European Union Space Program Agency with Azerkosmos in the expansion of the European Geostationary Navigation Service (EGNOS) and the work done on the placement of ground antennas in the Main Ground Satellite Control Center is a great success for the country.
"Azersky" during the war and post-war period
In addition to telecommunication satellites, the "Azersky" satellite also played an important role in protecting national security and conveying the truths of the country to the world community. Thanks to this satellite, the fires that were started in the territories of Azerbaijan under the occupation of Armenia were regularly monitored and the damage was assessed. At the same time, as a result of space monitoring of the ore deposits located in that region, the changes that occurred in the production areas were evaluated.
"Azersky" also played an important role in the victory of the Azerbaijani Army in the 44-day Patriotic War in 2020. Through this satellite, it was possible to monitor the movements of the enemy and prevent their provocations.
The capabilities of the "Azersky" satellite were widely used in determining the economic potential of our liberated territories in the post-war period.
As Mr. President Ilham Aliyev noted, "the use of satellites both during the war and after the war gave us a great advantage."
More than 400 projects were implemented using satellite images in agriculture, ecology, urban planning, cadastre and other fields within the framework of the "2019-2022 State Program for the Development of Remote Earth Observation Services through Satellites in the Republic of Azerbaijan". 137 of them were research projects. The services of the "Azersky" satellite include the preparation of a map of crop types in the country, especially in the agricultural sector, the establishment of olive and hazelnut orchards, large beekeeping farms.
it was used in the selection of suitable areas for establishment, monitoring of irrigation in cotton fields and anomalies occurring during the growing season.
For three years now, Azercosmos has been conducting space monitoring and preparing the annual "Report on the assessment of the effects of global climate changes on the Republic of Azerbaijan".
Satellites in the management of national personnel
With the launch of the "Azerspace-1" satellite, engineers in various directions in the space field, professional specialists in satellite operations were trained. The human potential of the country was formed in this field. Currently, Azerbaijan is among the few countries that manage and provide services to their satellites with their own personnel.
Today, the Research and Development Center, which is engaged in innovative creativity, operates under Azerkosmos. In order to strengthen the space ecosystem among young people, the center implements innovation, research and development-oriented projects and carries out space awareness events. Thousands of young people support the strengthening of the national space ecosystem in Azerbaijan with activities like this.
A new page in the development of the space industry
Azerbaijan has started implementing the next satellite project - "Azersky-2" satellite technology program. Within the framework of the program, it is planned to launch two Earth remote observation satellites into orbit.
One of the most important points of the project is that it is planned to build a center for the production of modern space vehicles in Azerbaijan and prepare one of the satellites in the country.
This is a great achievement and at the same time a new stage in the development of the space industry in Azerbaijan.
A view of space from Baku
One of the most important events in the history of the space industry of Azerbaijan was the 74th International Astronautical Congress held in Baku in 2023.
5,404 representatives from 132 countries participated in the Baku Congress, which combines space business, science and innovation opportunities in one concept. It was the first time in the history of the Congress that representatives from 132 countries joined the event.
For the first time, round tables with representatives from the USA and Africa were held at the Baku Congress, and also for the first time at the Baku Congress, 55 organizations became members of the International Astronautical Federation at the same time.
This prestigious and influential event held in Baku made a significant contribution to the establishment of closer relations between the space agency, companies and organizations, to the acceleration of the process of transferring space technologies to the region, to the development of human capital in this field, as well as to further strengthening the image of Azerbaijan as a space center of the region and a reliable partner in the international arena. .
Space position of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan adopted the 2023 Law "On Space Activities" and thus became one of the few countries that took that step. That law creates conditions for the promotion and spread of the advantages of space technology and the expansion of space activities in the country.
At the beginning of 2024, Azerbaijan achieved another success in the space field. Among the countries with limited resources in the geostationary orbit, it became famous with its unique orbital position. The C and Ku frequency bands of the orbital position of 46° east longitude, where the "Azerspace-1" telecommunication satellite is located, already belong to Azerbaijan.
The achieved successes, as well as the planned works, prove that Azerbaijan has already become a regional center in the space field as well as in the energy and transport sectors.
