BTRC chairman: Testing of Bangabandu Satellite-1 complete

The testing of Bangladesh's first satellite, Bangabandhu-1 has been completed, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Dr Shahjahan Mahmood has said. "The testing results will be known by Saturday," he said. He further added that all the data of the testing have been sent to SpaceX headquarters in Los Angeles. SpaceX will reveal the results after analyzing the data Saturday evening. Mesbahuzzaman, project director of Bangabandhu-1, told UNB that the testing was done at 9am (Bangladesh time) on May 5 and at 7:25pm (Florida time) May 4. Now, they are waiting for results. He also said if the results are positive all around, SpaceX will fix the date for the satellite launching.

Falcon 9 Block 5 static fire test complete ahead of next week’s launch of Bangladesh’s first geostationary communications satellite. Vehicle is healthy. Data review will take a few days—will confirm a target launch date once that review is complete.

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 5, 2018

Earlier on Friday, quoting the Prime Minister's ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy, a top US chapter Awami League leader said, Bangabandhu-1, which was scheduled to start its journey towards orbit on May 7 as per the latest timeframe, is not yet ready for the launch. US Awami League President Dr Siddiqur Rahman told UNB on Friday that SpaceX informed Joy that the Bangladeshi satellite could not be made ready for the launch. Sources at SpaceX said the launching date will be fixed once all the preparations are completed after the test. The launching of Bangabandhu-1 was deferred on Tuesday for technical reasons and unfavourable weather.

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With the latest one, the launching schedule of Bangladesh's lone satellite has been deferred eight times. The Bangabandhu Satellite, which has a capacity of 1,600 megahertz, will have 40 transponders and the physical equipment of the space capsule that measures the capacity. On October 21, 2015, the Cabinet Purchase Committee approved the project to buy the satellite system. Later, BTRC signed a deal involving Tk2,000 crore with Thales Alenia Space to construct the first-ever satellite project. Bangladesh will be the 57th country, with Bangabandhu-1, to be launched into the orbital slot on 119.1 degree east longitude, which (slot) was bought from Russian satellite company “Intersputnik” for US$ 28 million in January 2015.