The launch of Bangabandhu-1, Bangladesh’s first satellite, has been scheduled for May 10, says Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission
“SpaceX has confirmed us that it will be launched on May 10, at 4am (US Eastern Standard Time),” Senior Assistant Director Zakir Hossain Khan of the telecoms regulator told Bangla Tribune.
On Friday, Space X conducted a system test for the satellites launch vehicle, Falcon 5.
“Vehicle is healthy. Data review will take a few days—will confirm a target launch date once that review is complete,” the space tech company tweeted then.
The scheduling of the launch comes after several rounds of delay.
It takes two months to prepare the pad for launching any satellite out of the SpaceX facility in the US state of Florida.
In 2015, Bangladesh cleared a project for its own satellite, followed by the signing of Tk 20 billion loan deal between the telecoms regulator and France-based Thales Group for buying the satellite systems.
The ‘Bangabandhu’ Satellite received the green light at a cabinet meeting in 2015. BTRC signed a loan deal worth Tk 20 billion with Thales Group to buy 'satellite systems.'
Last year, a Tk 4 billion loan deal with the HSBC was signed to send the satellite into orbit.
Expected to save the Tk 14 million Bangladesh now spends every year on renting foreign satellites, the Bangabandhu-1 will have 40 transponders.
Bangladesh will use 20 and rent out the rest.
The satellite will be operated from the two ground stations at Gazipur’s Joydebpur and Rangamati’s Betbunia.
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