China helps Bolivia with satellite

[Judi Lynn]

China helps Bolivia with satellite
Iñaki Ferreras ©RapidTVNews | 24-06-2011

Bolivia has already begun building its own telecommunications satellite called Túpac Katari with the technological support of China.

The new satellite will be launched into orbit between 2013 and 2014 and it will cost a total of $300 million, according to 'Infoespacial.com'.

This investment will be assumed by the country's government and it will have a net utility of $7 million a year. The Chinese Development Bank will allocate more than $255 million to the project which uses the latest technologies. Chinese company Great Wall Industries has been hired for construction of the satellite platform.

The new Bolivian device is a DFH-4 third generation satellite with antennas oriented to the Bolivian territory and it will mainly serve TV transmissions. The satellite will be monitored by the Space Bolivian Agency (ABE,).

http://www.rapidtvnews.com/index.php/2011062413108/china-helps-bolivia-with-satellite.html

[naaman fletcher]

1. Last time we read about this

I think I mocked this as a productive use of scarce resources. On second thought this is probably primary a Chinese spy satellite and thus Bolivia won't ever have to pay China back.

[joshcryer]

2. I'm a big fan of space exploration and I find that to be unfair.

Space satellites are good for all countries. I'm proud that the US has a new company (SpaceX) that is launching Latin American satellites at a low cost. See: Argentina's CONAE. Space is the one unifying activity that all countries have participated in. edit: clarify; when they participate it is unifying, I know there are still many states who haven't been able to. Unity costs money.

I yearn for the day states like Cuba are sending guys up on shared rockets side-by-side an American astronaut.

But yeah, slight divergence from the topic but your theory is weird.

[naaman fletcher]

3. really?

With all of bolivia's poor you thing a satellite is the best use of $300 million dollars? Who are they going to communicate with? The fact that it is so absurd is why I have concluded it is really a Chinese satellite.

[joshcryer]

4. It's $5 million to Bolivia and will pay itself back in one year.

Bolivia is designing and building the thing. China is sinking the rest of the costs.

Yes space costs are absurd. And Chinese rockets have yet to prove themselves. But even if it fails China and Bolivia had a chance to unify on a project. Space is hard and it brings us together.