ARMSAT_1: Armenian Satellite “in Good Health”, Makes its First Communication with Earth

The Spanish SATLANTIS company has announced that after the successful launch of Urdaneta from Cape Canaveral, the company will provide a full Earth Observation system to Geocosmos, the Armenian company subsidiary of the RA Ministry of High-Tech Industry. Urdaneta, now renamed to the working title ARMSAT_1, will be the first satellite in space for the country, and Armenia is de facto a member of the selected club of Space countries, according to the prime minister declaration.

“We are proud to transfer our satellite Urdaneta as Armsat_1 the first satellite of the Armenian strategy. We will accompany the government decisions creating jobs, talent and products”, states Jean-Jacques Dordain, president of the Spanish company.

Furthermore, there are a number of larger countries that still do not have a 2m resolution satellite like ARMSAT_1. This is only the beginning of a long-term perspective, called the Armenian New Space Strategy, that will develop the industry national capacities and the young engineers’ talent, replicating the model proposed by SATLANTIS. In an incredibly fast process of 8 months, Armenia is flying a satellite thanks to this agreement. This strategic perspective is deeply understood by the parties, so that the yearly growth of all KPIs will construct an harmonic development of the Armenian ecosystem as well as the number of young engineers devoted to the space task.

After the successful launch, the first Armenian Satellite, ARMSAT_1 is in good health and ready to accomplish the public service by delivering actionable data for at least the next 4 years. At 12.31 CEST time on Thursday May, 26th ARMSAT_1 has made its first communication with Earth and it has shown the nominal status of its subsystems, according to a report submitted by SATLANTIS, the Spanish partner of this mission.

The details and first results of this space project will be presented to the public in the Starmus Festival, a science conference where nine Nobel Prizes will be in Yerevan sharing the most advanced scientific view for the next years. The flight of Armsat_1 will present Armenia as an advanced country in front of the citizens, scientists and the international community.