The Bangladesh Satellite Company Ltd (BSCL) has embarked upon a project to send a second satellite to space after the success of the first one known as Bangabandhu-I in partnership with Thales Alenia Space.
Unlike the Bangabandhu-I, the second satellite is designed for observation including environmental monitoring, meteorology, and cartography. It can be used to clearly monitor the vast maritime territories of Bangladesh and surrounding countries.
While such satellites have aerial surveillance applications in a military context, they can be used to monitor effects of man-made ecological disasters from poorly planned infrastructure projects in neighbouring countries such as dams, power plants, and river diversion that may pose threats to Bangladesh in the long term according to The Bangladesh Defence Analyst security experts.
Price water house Coopers (PwC) recommended the type of satellite following exhaustive feasibility studies. It is to be noted the cost for the second satellite will be lower than that of the first one because Bangladesh already has the ground station and other infrastructure in place.
Bangladesh will also not need to lease any orbital slot because the satellite is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite with far less operational altitude.
Bangladesh became the 57th country in the world to maintain a presence in space.
The country is rapidly developing its technological prowess as it moves forward with its Digital Bangladesh plan.
Asaf Shahi works as a Senior Defence Systems Consultant at the Bangladesh Defence Analyst portal owned by Defseca.com