Get Bolivian Satellite: A Step-By-Step Guide To Reception

Bolivia's first telecommunications satellite, Túpac Katari 1 or TKSat-1, was launched on December 20, 2013, from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China. The satellite is named after the 18th-century Bolivian independence activist Túpac Katari. It is expected to provide internet and mobile phone connections to the estimated 3.3 million Bolivians in areas not currently connected to the telecommunications grid. The satellite cost around $300 million, with most of the funding coming from a loan from the China Development Bank.

The Tupac Katari satellite was launched from China in 2013

Bolivia's first telecommunications satellite, the Tupac Katari satellite, was launched from China in 2013. Named after the 18th-century Bolivian independence activist, Tupac Katari, the satellite was built by the China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC), a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The satellite was constructed using French, German, and US technology. It was launched on December 20, 2013, from the Xichang Space Centre in China and began its commercial operations in March 2014.

The Tupac Katari satellite is a geostationary satellite parked at 87.2° W, at a distance of 36,000 km from the equator. It provides telecommunications services such as mobile, television, and internet access to the people of Bolivia. Before the launch of this satellite, Bolivia had to rely on other countries for satellite services, which was costly and inefficient. With its own satellite, Bolivia can now provide these services to its citizens at a lower cost.

The Bolivian Space Agency (Agencia Boliviana Espacial, or ABE) said that the satellite cost approximately $300 million, of which $251 million was financed by a loan from the China Development Bank (CDB) to the Bolivian government. The rest was paid by the Bolivian government. As of August 2017, the satellite had generated revenue of $60 million. However, the Bolivian Space Agency has clarified that the satellite is not a business venture but rather a means to increase access to communications for its citizens.

The Tupac Katari satellite has a useful life of 15 years and is expected to be deactivated in 2028. It has 26 Ku-band, 2 C-band, and 2 Ka-band transponders, as well as two deployable solar arrays. It was launched into a 200 x 43,890 km x 24.8-degree geostationary transfer orbit and is controlled by Chinese-trained Bolivian engineers at the Amachuma ground station. The satellite will provide communications and broadcasting services to the whole territory of Bolivia and surrounding areas, facilitating the development of civil projects like remote education and telemedicine.

It was built by the China Academy of Space Technology

Bolivia's first telecommunications satellite, Túpac Katari 1 or TKSat-1, was built by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), a Chinese space agency and subordinate of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). CAST was founded on 20 February 1968 and is the main spacecraft development and production facility in China.

The Túpac Katari 1 satellite was built by CAST on behalf of the Bolivian Space Agency. The China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC), a subsidiary of CASC, was responsible for the construction, launch and orbit of the satellite. The satellite is named after an 18th-century Bolivian independence activist, Tupac Katari, and is expected to provide internet and mobile phone connections to the estimated 3.3 million Bolivians in areas currently not connected to the telecommunications grid.

The satellite was launched into orbit on 20 December 2013 from the Satellite Launch Centre in Xichang, China, with a trial period of just over three months before commercial operations began in March 2014. The satellite is geostationary and parked at 87.2° W, at a distance of 36,000 kilometres from the equator. The estimated useful life of the satellite is 15 years, with deactivation expected in 2028.

The satellite cost around $300 million, of which $251 million was a loan from the China Development Bank (CDB) to the Bolivian government, with the remaining amount paid by the Bolivian government. As of August 2017, the satellite had generated revenue of $60 million. The Bolivian Space Agency has emphasised that the satellite is not a business venture but is instead intended to increase access to communications in the country.

The Bolivian Space Agency operates the satellite

The Bolivian Space Agency (ABE) is the national space agency of Bolivia. It was established in 2010 by President Evo Morales, who signed a decree establishing the agency as a government entity under the Ministry of Public Works, Services and Housing. The agency is responsible for developing and implementing communications satellite programs and other space projects.

The ABE's first major project was the launch of the nation's first artificial satellite, Túpac Katari 1 (TKSAT-1), on 20 December 2013. The satellite was built by the China Great Wall Industrial Corporation at a cost of US$302 million, with 85% of the funds provided by a loan from the China Development Bank. Túpac Katari 1 is a telecommunications satellite that provides mobile, television, and internet services to Bolivia. It is named after an 18th-century Bolivian independence activist and started its commercial operation in March 2014.

Túpac Katari 1 is expected to generate significant revenue for the Bolivian Space Agency. In 2018, the director of the ABE, Iván Zambrana, reported that the satellite's services had raised over US$80 million in the first four years of operation, exceeding the agency's expectations. The revenue is expected to reach $2 million per month in 2016 and justify the launch of a second satellite. Over its 15-year lifespan, the satellite is projected to generate a total revenue of around $500 million.

The Bolivian Space Agency has also outlined plans for future projects, including the launch of an Earth observation satellite in 2017 to survey natural resources from orbit. The agency aims to continue developing and implementing satellite projects to improve access to communications and promote the application of satellite technology in various sectors, including education, health, and weather forecasting.

It is expected to provide internet and mobile connections to rural Bolivians

Bolivia's first telecommunications satellite, Túpac Katari 1 (TKSAT-1), is expected to provide internet and mobile connections to rural Bolivians. Launched in December 2013, the satellite is named after the 18th-century Bolivian independence activist Túpac Katari, an Aymara Indian leader who fought against Spanish colonial rule.

The satellite is part of a project by the Bolivian Space Agency (ABE) to improve communication services in rural areas of Bolivia, where approximately 30% of the country's 10 million people reside. It is also intended to boost indigenous pride and reduce capital outlays to foreign entities. The project was primarily financed by a loan from the China Development Bank, with the Bolivian government contributing 15% of the $300 million cost.

TKSAT-1 is a 5,100-kilogram satellite that was built and launched by the China Academy of Space Technology and the China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC), respectively. It operates in a geostationary orbit at 87.2 degrees west longitude and 36,000 kilometers from the equator. The satellite has a useful life of 15 years, with an expected total revenue of around $500 million over that period.

In addition to the financial benefits, TKSAT-1 is expected to extend television and broadband connectivity to isolated regions of Bolivia. The Bolivian government and commercial entities have purchased 75% of the spacecraft's 30 C-, Ku-, and Ka-band transponders. As a result, it is anticipated that the satellite will help reduce the cost of internet, TV, and mobile phone services in Bolivia, making them more affordable for rural residents.

The satellite is named after an 18th-century indigenous leader

Bolivia's first telecommunications satellite, Túpac Katari 1, also known as TKSat-1, was launched in December 2013 from the Xichang Space Centre in China. The satellite is named after an 18th-century indigenous leader, Túpac Katari, who fought against Spanish colonial rule and supported the independence of indigenous people.

Túpac Katari, also known as Túpac Amaru II, led a notable but ultimately unsuccessful revolt against the Spanish authorities in the late 18th century. He was a national hero in Bolivia, and his name was chosen to symbolise the country's independence and resistance against colonial powers.

The Túpac Katari 1 satellite is operated by the Bolivian Space Agency and provides telecommunications services to Bolivia and the surrounding areas. It offers mobile, television, and internet coverage, with the aim of increasing access to communications for the country's population. The satellite is expected to reduce the cost of these services and make them more affordable for Bolivians.

The development and launch of the satellite were outsourced to the People's Republic of China, with the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) building the satellite and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) providing the launcher. The project cost just over $300 million, with most of the funding coming from a loan provided by the China Development Bank.

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