Venezuela Celebrates
Successful Launch Of Its
First Satellite
CARACAS - The Venezuelan
government hailed on
Wednesday the successful
launch of its first
satellite "Simon
Bolivar" or "Venesat-1"
as part of a joint
project with China that
started three years ago.
Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez said the
launch marked the
country's start in space
exploration, and was a
step ahead to the
independence of Latin
America and the
Caribbean region in the
scientific,
technological and
cultural fields.
The launch, taking place
in the Satellites
Launching Center of
Xichang in southwest
China's Sichuan Province
at 1654 GMT, was watched
by millions of
Venezuelans through
images from China
Central Television (CCTV).
Chavez watched the
broadcast of the launch
at Luepa Station in
southern Venezuela's
Bolivar state.
He said that the
satellite will help
eliminate the country's
"satellite illiteracy",
and contribute to the
building of a multipolar
world.
Meanwhile, Nicaragua's
official radio station
La Nueva Radio Yaalso
cheered on Wednesday for
the successful launch of
"Simon Bolivar", saying
that the important event
will be contributive to
Latin America's
integration.
The satellite,
manufactured by China,
will promote
telecommunications in
Venezuela. The whole
project is to cost 406
million U.S. dollars
including the building
of technological bases,
manufacturing, launch
and training of
Venezuelan
professionals.
It is China's first
contract on the
manufacturing and launch
service for a Latin
American country.
The "Venesat-1", with a
designed life of 15
years, will be used in
broadcasting, distance
learning, medical
services, among others.
After necessary tests,
the Venezuelan Science
and Technology Ministry
will start to provide
the state-owned
telephone company CANTV
with satellite services
on Dec. 20.
The satellite will be
operating at an orbit
36,000km high from the
earth surface, with a
signal of 1,300 MHz
ranging from south
Mexico to half of
Argentine and Chilean
territories.
The "Simon Bolivar"
Satellite, named after a
South American
independence leader in
the 1800s, makes
Venezuela the fourth
country in Latin America
with a satellite --
after Mexico, Argentina
and Brazil.
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