Afghanistan launches first satellite

Afghanistan's first satellite named AFGHANSAT 1 was formally launched on Saturday with officials expecting a USD 15 million addition to the government's annual revenue. While addressing the inaugural ceremony, the first vice president of Afghanistan, Mohammad Younus Qanuni called the launch a great achievement in Afghanistan's history. He further said that it would cover all provinces and some regional countries as well adding, "The launch of the satellite will not only help improve the quality of media but will also boost government revenue." Earlier in February, one of the world's leading satellite operators Eutelsat Communications and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) had signed a memorandum of understanding to the effect. Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amirzai Sangin in a statement said that they paid USD 4 million to Eutelsat annually but the income of the satellite would add USD 15 million to the country's income. He added that the satellite was launched into space in 2008, with each spacecraft having 15 years operational ability. The AFGHANSAT 1 would cover all urban and remote areas of the country and improve the quality of media broadcasts besides enhancing communications among government organs, said Sangin. He added, "Now Afghans can install a small dish antenna to get access to all TV and radio channels across Afghanistan and central Asian countries."