Agreement to launch Lanka into space

by Shirajiv SIRIMANE

SupremeSAT (Pvt) Ltd. signed an investment agreement with the Board of Investment last week to the tune of US$ 20 million with ambitious plans to take Sri Lanka into the global space race. The investment will be further increased to US$ 320 million. The company's long-term plan is to use the planned orbital slot of Sri Lanka which is located at 50 degrees East and launch SupremeSAT, the country's first telecommunications satellite.

The company has entered into an exclusive partnership agreement with China's State-owned China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) for the design, manufacture and launch of the satellite and to secure the marketing facilities of many other satellites owned and operated by CGWIC and the China Satellites Communications Corporation.

Established in 1980, CGWIC is the only commercial organisation authorised by the Chinese government to provide satellites and commercial launch services and to carry out international space cooperation.

The company has already signed nine contracts with international customers for the manufacture and in-orbit delivery of telecommunication satellites, of which four have been successfully launched into orbit, while the other two are set to be launched next year.

Apart from this, the company has launched many satellites for domestic purposes and has surpassed the US in the number of successful space launches in 2011.

As the company promoting international cooperation for China's space industry, CGWIC is devoted to the international development of China's space industry. CGWIC has developed into a system integrator for space products and services. It can meet customers' multi-directional needs by providing comprehensive solutions for commercial launch services, satellite export, satellite ground tracking and control station construction, satellite applications, project financing, project insurance and technical training.

SupremeSAT's satellite will be the DFH-4 also known as Dong Fang Hong which means the 'Rising of the Shining East'. DFH-4 is the third generation communications satellite bus in China with high power, strong payload capacity and extended service life.

It consists of propulsion module, service modules and solar arrays.

This new venture of SupremeSAT will offer all types of telecommunication services such as broadband and networking services, various broadcast solutions, back-haul or range extension facilities for telecom operators and other services such as e-government and e-learning.

This investment and our partnership with CGWIC demonstrate investor confidence on Sri Lanka's economy. Political stability supported by the favourable investment climate help entrepreneurs to reach the space.

"I am very glad that this venture coincides with the vision of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to make Sri Lanka a 'Knowledge Hub," said R.M. Manivannan, Chairman of SupremeSAT (Pvt) Ltd. "We are now closely coordinating with the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission on the approvals for the launch and thank the Board of Investment for the very supportive role they play", he added.

Wang Zhongmin, Deputy Director, Manager of CGWIC said, "It is a pleasure to be the exclusive partner of SupremeSAT.

"We are confident that this partnership will make Sri Lanka's space ambitions a reality and we are looking forward to be a part of all the space-related activities of SupremeSAT."

We are sure this will help the technology growth of Sri Lanka."