Satellite Turkmen Alem 52E started full-scale operation

The nationwide satellite communications system Turkmen Alem stated functioning in Turkmenistan.

As Turkmenistan Golden Age Internet Edition informs, the need for designing a satellite of this kind has been discussed for the past few years in the country. Before that Turkmenistan was served by the satellite called Yamal and owned by Russia and, according to the management, it slowed down the pace of Internet development, as well as satellite TV and different communications systems in the country. In addition, according to the senior officials in Ashkhabad, the service provided by a foreign satellite affects negatively the country’s information security.

For this reason, still in 2011, the President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov issued a decree on supervising the near-Earth orbit, taking measures to improve satellite communications and carrying out detailed study and analysis of outer space. It was then decided to inaugurate a new era in the country by launching its own satellite. Today the Turkmen Alem 52E, translated as the Turkmen universe, is supervised by the Control Centre in Akhal Vilayet.

After completing all test works and satellite check-ups the French company transferred it to the JSC Türkmen hemrasy, which supervises the quality of services provided by the satellite system.

A certain part of transponders were leased for a long term by the company Space Systems International-Monaco SAM. This vehicle is equipped with three antennas (MENA, north and east beam). It means that their coverage can capture dozens of European and Asian countries, North Africa and the Middle East.

Many Turkmen national TV channels have already started broadcasting via that satellite. In addition, some Turkmen radio stations remain completely open to access, as well as there are also under examination some applications, submitted by the national and foreign corporations that want to make use of the new satellite. For the time being there are over 20 of them.

We shall recall that the first satellite of Turkmenistan was put into orbit by the US launch vehicle Falcon 9 in late April of the present year.