MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chavez has his own Chinese built, launched satellite

Chavez annouce Venezuela plans another satellite launch in 2013

The first Venezuelan telecommunications satellite was launched Wednesday from the western Chinese province of Sichuan. The 3.1 ton satellite, named after Latin American liberator Simon Bolivar, was built by China at a cost of 406 million dollars and puts Venezuela in the region's space club which includes Brazil and Argentina.

Also known as VENESAT-1, the satellite has a 15-year lifetime and was built by China Space Technology Academy, which also trained Venezuelan professionals in the field. Once in its final orbit at 36,500 kilometers and with its solar panels deployed, the Simon Bolivar satellite will begin a certification testing period that takes between one and two months. Following tests its will begin carrying radio, television and other data transmissions in early 2009. Chavez watched the launch by television with Bolivian President Evo Morales at an observation centre just south of Venezuela's capital. "This is a satellite for freedom," Chavez said in a nationally televised address following the launch. The satellite could potentially serve military purposes such as listening in on telephone conversations, but Venezuelan officials insist their intentions are peaceful. Among other purposes the satellite will bring telecommunications coverage to a rugged part of south-eastern Venezuela where land lines are difficult and costly to build and maintain. After rejecting offers from France and Russia to build the satellite, Chavez turned to China in 2004. The populist leader has been building up Venezuela's military and its technology with help from Russia, China and Iran. Information Minister Andres Izarra said the satellite will help expand the reach of the Caracas-based Telesur television network, which is financed mostly by Venezuela. Uruguay joined Venezuela in the project, donating an orbit to which it has rights in exchange for 10% of the satellite's transmission capacity. "The agreement yields great benefits to Uruguay, which does not have the resources to make the investment, and for Venezuela, which does not have an orbit at its disposition" said Science Minister Nuris Orihuela. Venezuela plans another satellite launch in 2013. Ms Orihuela revealed that the total cost of the project is 241 million dollars, plus 165 millions dollars for the construction of two control stations in Bolivia and Guárico, Venezuela. The agreement for the launch of the Venezuelan satellite also involved a technology transfer with China. Under the deal, 90 Venezuelan specialists have worked on the satellite - with the first 30 arriving in China on March 2, 2007. These engineers acquired basic knowledge at the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and also received professional satellite engineering training, together with the second group of technicians that arrived later that month. Venezuela also bought military technology from China, and the two countries have made various agreements in the oil industry.