SpaceX successfully launches Bulgaria’s first geostationary communications satellite

SpaceX successfully launches Bulgaria’s first geostationary communications satellite
After more than 10 years in development, Bulgaria launches its first geo stationary communications satellite from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida / Bulsatcom
By bne IntelliNews June 25, 2017

US corporation SpaceX said that its Falcon 9 rocket had successfully launched Bulgaria’s first geostationary communications satellite – BulgariaSat-1 – into orbit on June 23. Another batch of Iridium satellites are expected to be launched today (June 25) from a new Falcon 9 rocket, according to Nasaspaceflight.com from Vandenberg Air Force Base.​

The rocket flew from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. After stage separation, its first stage successfully landed on the US corporation’s East Coast droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.
 
BulgariaSat-1 is a $235mn project of Bulgarian satellite television, internet and mobile operator Bulsatcom. The amount includes costs of design, production (by the Palo Alto-based company SSL) and launch. The investor has secured financing from the US Export-Import Bank and a consortium of European banks led by Deutsche Bank, Reuters reported previously.

Bulsatcom said that BulgariaSat-1 is expected to begin its journey to its final position in geostationary orbit today (25 June) and it should begin transmitting after one month. It will cover the Balkans, other parts of Europe, as well as North Africa. BulgariaSat-1’s life expectancy is up to 20 years. Bulsatcom will use half of its capacity, and will lease the other half, Dnevnik daily reported.

Bulgaria is hence set to be the 12th country in Europe to operate a communications satellite. Both Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and Prime Minister Boyko Borissov have issued congratulatory addresses on the occasion of the successful launch, Bulsatcom said. Company CEO Maxim Zayakov commented that they first started this space project more than 10 years ago.

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