Argentina celebrated the launch its second geostationary satellite into space yesterday, a national project to provide more of its own telecommunications services and reduce its dependency on foreign satellites.
ARSAT-2 in Bariloche, ready to be shipped to French Guyana for its launch (photo: Argentine government)
“We are in a better time, we are in a time where the future has arrived,” said President Cristina Fernández in an address from the Casa Rosada to mark the launch.
The ARSAT-2, a three-tonne satellite, launched from an Ariane 5 rocket out of French Guyana at around 5.30pm. It took three years to make at a price of around $200m with 50% of its parts sourced locally.
“This is the heritage of all Argentines, this is the investment of 40m Argentines so we should look after it,” said President Fernández. “Therefore, we want to declare national interest in the development of the satellite industry.”
The President wants the country to produce a further eight satellites over the next two decades. Its first satellite was launched last year and was an immense source of national pride. A third satellite, ARSAT-3, is in the works and will eventually be launched into orbit as well, as part of the effort to expand telecommunications services to Argentines.
“Today, the local market’s demand for capacity far exceeds the ARSAT-2 and actually there are other satellites providing those services,” said Matías Bianchi, the president of state-owned company ARSAT, in an interview with Télam. “We have a lot of work ahead of us to advance in this market.”
The company was founded in 2006 by the late president Néstor Kirchner to provide digital broadcasting, create locally manufactured satellites, and improve internet access and security across the country.
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