Iraq Govt. holds talks with SupremeSAT

Shirajiv Sirimane

Making yet another historic landmark, SupremeSAT have been able to attract the Iraqi government for a possible joint satellite partnership related to SupremeSAT-2.

A delegation headed by Senior Deputy Minister of Communications Amir Al Bayati, accompanied by Senior officials of the Iraqi Ministry of Communications, Abbas Hasson and Basil Subhi visited Sri Lanka last week and held negotiations with SupremeSAT in this regard.

The government of Iraq is making serious efforts to make Iraq enter space age by launching a communications satellite at its earliest. The possibilities of combining that aspiration with the commercial interests of SupremeSAT, was discussed in detail during the two day discussions which ended in a very positive note.

Taking yet another giant step forward in the Sri Lanka’s space journey, SupremeSAT, South Asia’s only private sector Satellite ownership company, entered into a US $ 215 million contract in China to launch Sri Lanka’s first ever satellite, “SUPREMESAT-2” last month.

This US $ 215 million contract was signed with China’s Great Wall Industry Corporation, offering the design, manufacture and launching tasks of “SupremeSAT-2” to the company. “It is for this purpose that the Iraqi interest was shown,” said Chairman, Supreme Sat, R. M. Manivannan. He said that mid 2016 was the scheduled launching target for “SupremeSAT-2.” “SupremeSAT-1” which was launched last year, was a joint effort by SupremeSat and Chinasatcom. It was a jointly owned satellite and was launched successfully by the “long march” launch vehicle in Xi-Chang, China.

“That satellite by last week had successfully completed its “In Orbit Tests” and has been positioned in its desired “orbital slot”- 87.5 Degrees East.”

SupremeSAT, delivered Sri Lanka’s first communication Satellite, SupremeSAT - I into orbit from the Xichang Space Centre in the Sichuan Province of China, last November.

“Construction of our satellite earth station in Pallekele, Kandy, had commenced and upon commencing operations it would be converted to a state-of-the-art Space Academy taking Sri Lanka’s space industry to greater heights.”