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Update: Saturday, 15 May 2010    

Arab satellite, Algeria faces two competitors

Sunday Jun 25 2006.

Algerian Space Agency (ASA) is making efforts to shelter the launch platform for the joint Arab satellite, suggested by Algeria to the Arab countries, at the 17th Arab summit in Algiers, last year.

To face the competition of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Algeria sent, on June 2, sixteen space experts to France to get trained in the Space and aeronautics high school of Toulouse. Besides, a satellite developing unit is being set up in Oran and will be ready early 2008.

ASA sources say competition between Arab countries to shelter the Arab satellite launch platform is becoming stronger even before the final wording of the project takes end. This degree of competition is motivated by the fact that the countries, pioneers in space matters in the Arab world, have got relatively developed satellite reception and launch platforms.

Same sources say Algeria intends to use all its weight to shelter the joint Arab satellite, which would get a major part of the national space program 2006-2020, presented, some months ago, to the joint ministry council and will be submitted to ministry and government councils. The national program includes 7 satellites, and will be managed by the Algerian space agency, under the supervision of the minister of Post and Technologies of Information.

At the opening of the workshop of the Arab satellite project for the surveillance of the earth, the minister of Pos, Boudjemaâ Haichour, unveiled a document worked out by 16 Algerian experts on the realisation of a satellite or a group of three satellites, of 15 to 30 cm diameters, which would have the task to monitor the 14-million km2 Arab region and to forecast natural catastrophes. The project cost 50 million dollars.

Algeria preferred the Arab approve the three satellites project, for it is able to send a peace of information every day, whereas one satellite can provide the same information every three or five days, says the minister adding that the information sent by the three satellites would permit a best forecast of natural catastrophes, as earthquakes, floods, locusts invasions and desertification.

Lamia F. —El-Khabar

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