The Bangabandhu-1, Bangladesh’s first-ever satellite has reached it orbital position, ten days after it’s launch from the US.
"The satellite has taken its position in the orbital slot," Bangladesh Communication Satellite Company Limited (BCSCL) Managing Director Md. Saiful Islam said on Monday.
“Our ground station reported that the satellite has reached. He hope it to start functioning properly within two to four days,” he told Bangla Tribune.
On May 11, the satellite was successfully launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. SpaceX latest Falcon 9 Block 5 carried the satellite for the orbit located at 119.1 degree east.
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 has 15 years for mission life span while another three years for its design.
The satellite will offer video services for Direct-to-Home (DTH), e-learning, Tele-medicine, Family Planning, Farming etc while voice service to cellular backhaul and disaster recovery, and data service for internet, SCADA, SOHO as well as business-to-business (VSAT).