OREANDA-NEWS. On August 14, 2009 The National Space Agency of Ukraine has reached an agreement with Export Corporation of Canada on giving a credit to state-owned enterprise Ukrkosmos at the sum of USD 254.6 million for building of National satellite communication system with its own communication satellite. The Head of National Space Agency of Ukraine Olexandr Zinchenko announced during a press conference at the House of Government.

According to Olexandr Zinchenko, the loan will be given under the state guarantees for a term of 10 years with a minimal interest rate. “The order of payments: every half-year with 14 equal parts starting from the fourth year of crediting, which means delay of payments of the credit sum for three years,” he clarified the conditions.

Olexandr Zinchenko called as a huge success of a Ukrainian negotiation team that they could have drawn 100% credit under launch of the first communication satellite in a time of the global financial recession. According to him, a common practice is covering only 85% of cost of a project.

Olexandr Zinchenko informed that within the framework of building of the National satellite communication system a series of principal works was to be perfomed: to produce a satellite and conduct a round cycle of ground and in-orbit tests; to launch the satellite by Ukrainian rocket-carrier Zenith-3SLB; to develop ground infrastructure of satellite control; to prepare central teleport and land infrastructure of consumers of services of the communication satellite to ensure usage of satellite resources; to finish works on frequency-orbit maintenance and international coordination of satellite networks.

At this, he emphasized that launch of the communication satellite is planned for September of 2011 which will be a peculiar present for the 20-th anniversary of Independence of Ukraine. Besides, launch of the satellite in September of 2011 will enable to ensure fulfillment of significant part of telecommunication tasks of Euro-2012. “The significant share of telecommunication tasks of Euro-2012 can be serviced by the national satellite system, neither giving away the money nor technological possibilities in this project to anyone,” Olexandr Zinchenko urged.

According to him, the main prerogative of the mentioned project is that control over the satellite will be made from the territory of Ukraine while the control stations will be serviced by Ukrainian personnel. Moreover, the term of exploitation of the satellite was determined not less than 15 years.

Olexandr Zinchenko stressed that the first Ukrainian satellite is “an exceptionally advanced technological construction” called to ensure providing of services of broadcasting and fixed satellite services and also transition of tele-radio signals, access to information networks, multimedia services and work of corporative and departmental VSAT networks.