MINSK, 16 December (BelTA) – Belarus has started creating a national space agency, First Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB) Piotr Vityaz told reporters on 16 December, BelTA has learnt. “The formation of the new structure has already been launched, many ministries agreed that it is necessary to create a system of control over projects in space exploration and space technologies,” Piotr Vityaz said. “Such a system is to be set up and run by the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. The government will decide how the new structure will be called,” he added. Setting up this new organization is envisaged in the national programme for peaceful exploration of outer space for 2008-2012. The new organization will address all the issues related to space exploration, including with the help of the new Belarusian satellite that will be launched in 2010. The new Belarusian satellite will be lighter (around 400kg) and more maneuverable, with 2m resolution. The Belarusian satellite will cover the entire territory of Belarus. The satellite data will be used for conducting ecological and land use monitoring, prevention of emergency situations, upgrading topographic maps, and for other purposes. A satellite command and tracking station is being constructed in the Logoisk region, Minsk oblast. The station will have an aerial system that will collect satellite data which will be transferred to the satellite control center headquartered in the NASB Unified Informatics Institute in Minsk. БЕЛТА
Written by belta.by
