Analysts question the impact of satellite services on Angolans’ lives and the return on investment.
The Angolan satellite, also known as Angosat-2, may be in space this week. It will be launched from Kazakhstan.
The Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technologies, and Media, Mário Oliveira, said, at the opening of the World Space Week, that several countries in the austral region have shown interest in Angosat-2 services.
This will be Angola’s second attempt to enter the club of “space” countries after Angosat-1, built by Russian company RKK Energia, was a failure following serious launch flaws in 2018. The investment cost the coffers of the Angolan state about 320 million dollars.
According to information revealed this week by Novo Jornal, the Angosat-2, built by the Russian company ISS Reshetnev, does not represent new costs for the Angolan state due to the existing guarantees in the first project and ends up being an advantage.
However, the lack of information from the authorities about the objectives of the Angolan satellite is a concern that is expressed in various sectors of the Angolan society.
According to Minister Mário Oliveira, Angola intends to improve the Angosat-2 satellite transmission infrastructure and Angola’s Earth Observation programme within the framework of its National Space Strategy. This will also extend to investment in national broadband infrastructure through submarine and terrestrial fiber optics. He added that investing in space technology will contribute to unifying and developing Africa. “We want to have a strong national space industry that serves the interests of our economy and brings benefits, not only for Angola but as a way to create synergies in our region while fostering the establishment of a united Africa”, he said.
The Minister also noted that the telecommunications services resulting from the launch would benefit Angola and the satellite operators. The services will cover the entire African continent and a significant part of Southern Europe in C Band. The satellite will also provide almost complete coverage of southern Africa in Ku Band. The Minister also noted the intention of the Executive to continue investing in inducing projects for the creation of the television broadcasting market.