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Enters the space race:
Sri Lanka to break the final frontier
By Shirajiv SIRIMANE
Centuries ago, there was evidence to suggest that King Ravana of Sri
Lanka used a wooden plane to fly across to India. However, since then,
this amazing technology the Sri Lankans had was never heard of. During
recent times, if someone said that Sri Lankans were to build an
airplane, the world would have laughed it off. However, President
Mahinda Rajapaksa thought otherwise!
He did not want to build an airplane, but thought the country should
own its own communication satellite and belong to an elite group of
nations that own one.
The idea was spread across Sri Lanka and SupremeSAT positively
responded to build Sri Lanka’s first communication satellite, with
Chinese co-operations. Currently, only India (4) and Pakistan (1) have
communication satellites in the region. Sri Lanka would own its own
satellite by December 2015. Plans are also under way to have Sri Lankans
trained and employed as astronauts for would be space missions in the
future.
The agreement to build the first satellite would be signed next
October in China and President Rajapaksa, who initiated this move, is
expected to witness this groundbreaking event. The plan is to launch the
satellite from Beijing and place it over Sri Lanka by December 2015.
The uplinks to the satellite would be from Kandy. Meanwhile
SupremeSAT (Pvt) Ltd. signed the joint investment agreement with China
Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) and Sino Satellite
Communications Company Ltd for the setting up of Sri Lanka’s first ever
Space Academy within the Pallekele BOI Zone in Kandy on Tuesday.
Established in 1980, CGWIC is the sole 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.
Domestic satellites
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.
The proposed Space Academy will consist of a state-of-the-art
Satellite Ground Station which will provide on-the-job-training to Sri
Lankans who will start to control the already co-branded satellites of
SupremeSAT/Chinasatcom.
This would also be the first time that Sri Lankans from Sri Lanka
would be uploading material to satellites. The signing of the agreement
would see over US$ 60 million being pumped to Kandy, making it the
biggest foreign-funded private sector investment in the Central
Province. It is also the first Chinese investment made in the Central
Province.
Chairman SupremeSAT R.M. Manivannan said that this investment would
put the Central Province in the world investors’ map, helping to woo
more foreign direct investments. “Initially, over 100 employment
opportunities would be provided from this project,” he said.
This investment and the partnership with CGWIC demonstrate investor
confidence on the post-war Sri Lankan economy. “Political stability
supported by the favourable investment climate help entrepreneurs like
us to reach space.
I am very glad that this venture coincides with the vision of the
President to make Sri Lanka a Knowledge Hub,” said Manivannan.
“It would not only place Kandy on the world satellite map, but would
also help take Sri Lanka closer towards the goal of becoming the Wonder
of Asia,” he said.
Deputy Managing Director, China Great Wall Industry Corporation, Wang
Zhongmin said they would start building the satellite next January. He
said the idea of having a satellite for Sri Lanka was the brainchild of
President Rajapaksa who spelt it out when he was in China recently.
National economy
The value of SuprmeSAT would be US$ 300 million and it would have
three bands; X, C and KA and it would be the most powerful satellite
with the highest number of channels in the region.Vice Minister of
Industries and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China
Chen Qiufa who flew all the way from China to witness this
groundbreaking event, said the space industry is an important
intergrowth part of a country’s industrial system.
“Sri Lanka is at a very critical and historical stage, of devoting to
the development of the national economy and strengthening the civilian
construction. “It is of great significance for the Government of Sri
Lanka to select the development of the space industry to promote or
trigger the development and progress of the economy and social
development.
“We are convinced that this action will bring true benefits to the
people of Sri Lanka. As China is an old friend of Sri Lanka, it will
always give full support to Sri Lanka in its development of science,
technology and social progress.”
It must also be mentioned that this is one of the quickest BOI
projects to get off the ground since the signing of the agreement in
May.
Sri Lanka, a small island nation, by end-2015 would be able to boast
of five international harbours, two international airports, two
expressways, seven-star hotels via Shangri-La while also owing the most
powerful communication satellite in the region, taking the country
closer to become the Wonder of Asia. |
