New satellites for Belarusian-Russian constellation

The Belarusian-Russian orbital satellite group, which now comprises the Russian satellite Canopus-B and the first Belarusian satellite BKA, will be expanded with new satellites, BelTA learned from Sergei Korenyako, executive director of the Union State program Monitoring SG, department head of the United Informatics Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, on 18 March.

According to Sergei Korenyako, work is in progress to expand the orbital satellite group. The group will be used in the interests of Belarus and Russia and third countries. Plans have been made to make satellites similar to the existing ones as well as new satellites with higher resolutions, he said.

The scientist underlined that no definite date when the new satellites are in orbit is yet available. It will depend on the readiness of the two countries as well as funding and the preparatory stage, added Sergei Korenyako.

On 22 July 2012 the Belarusian satellite BKA was put into orbit together with the Russian satellite Canopus-B at an altitude of about 500-520km using the carrier rocket Soyuz and the booster module Fregat. The satellite’s launch enabled Belarus to become part of international associations and projects for peaceful uses of the outer space.