MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bolivia’s first (Chinese built) telecommunications satellite operational by 2014

Bolivian Public Works Minister Walter Delgadillo.

The Bolivian Space Agency (ABE) and the Chinese Great Wall Industry Corporation signed a commercial contract for the construction and launching of the first Bolivian telecommunications satellite, which has been baptized Tupac Katari.

The Chinese counterpart will also supply technical support and training for Bolivian professionals.

“As of now the Chinese company has three months to begin the construction of the satellite in China and three years to have it in orbit”, said Bolivian Public Works Minister Walter Delgadillo.

Teleports and ground control stations will be built in La Paz and Santa Cruz respectively, the construction of which will be completed in about 32 months and managed by the Bolivian government, Delgadillo said.

Last February Bolivian president Evo Morales created the Bolivian Space Agency, (ABE) which will is responsible for the contracting of the construction project and the launching of the satellite into a 36 kilometres orbit above the Earth.

The name of Tupac Katari comes from an indigenous insurgent who headed a rebellion against the Spanish conquerors at the end of the XVIII century.

ABE Executive Director Willy Herbas said “the deal will allow Bolivia to have its own satellite by the end of 2013 or the beginning of 2014. The satellite will provide telecommunication services in Bolivia and support the country's educational and medical initiatives”.

The satellite which should begin to be constructed next March is a Chinese third generation DFH-4 model. China offered Bolivia a 350 million US dollars credit for the telecommunications satellite. The agreement was signed by the two governments with the International Telecommunications Union.