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Ukraine delays launch of its first telecom satellite until next year

The project costs $292 million

KIEV, January 27 (Itar-Tass) —— Ukraine has once again delayed the launch of its first telecom satellite Lybid until next year, Ukrainian State Space Agency head Yuri Alexeyev said on Friday.

He said Ukraine failed to confirm the orbital slot of Lybid in due time and a French satellite took that place. “It took us six months to coordinate the new orbital slot. It was previously located at 38 degrees East, now it is 48 degrees East,” he said. “The new orbital slot will broaden the area covered by the Ukrainian satellite. It will fully cover Ukraine, its neighbors, North Africa and some of Asia.”

The satellite was expected to broadcast the Euro 2012 finals but it was agreed later on that the job would be done by French satellites, Alexeyev said.

The project costs $292 million. The Canadian MDA won the tender in 2009. A loan of the Canadian Export Agency granted for the period of ten years under the Ukrainian government guarantee covers the expenditures.

Alexeyev thinks that the expenditures would be recovered within seven to eight years of the satellite operation.