Kazakhstan National Space Agency, Kazkosmos, has announced the launch of its first domestic Earth observation satellite for the fourth quarter of 2013 from the Yasni launch site in Russian Federation.
According to Talgat Musabayev, chairman of Kazkosmos, the medium resolution satellite will be the vital importance for Kazakhstan with its vast territory, various types of relief, and little population. The satellite images would provide prompt space-based information to various fields of the economy such as agriculture, ecology, security, defence, geological exploration, and production of natural resources.
A second high resolution satellite is planned to be launched in 2014 from the French Guiana Space Center. Astrium is a strategic partner in the Kazakh remote sensing programme.
