Kazakhstan’s aerospace industry is experiencing growth through new spacecraft export initiatives and progress in scientific research. On April 10, a group of journalists visited the National Space Center to get a firsthand look at the ongoing developments and projects.
Baubek Oralmagambetov, chairman of the Aerospace Committee of the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan outlined five key areas of the country’s space activities: scientific research, production of space technologies, spacecraft launches, satellite management, and the practical use of data gathered from space, The Caspian Post reports citing The Astana Times.
“Another very important area is the area of international cooperation. In space activities, national borders no longer apply - they end where airspace ends. Therefore, all operations in space are closely coordinated between countries. This direction is especially significant, as we engage in negotiations with various countries, working within the UN framework to make advances,” said Oralmagambetov.
New scientific projects
Chairman of the Management Board of Kazakhstan Gharysh Sapary (KGS) national company, Kaiyrzhan Kozhaev, shared updates on the latest developments in the company’s scientific projects.
“We are now taking a technological step forward and starting to manufacture optics. In fact, as you may have seen earlier today on the first floor in the lab, the first optical payload - developed in collaboration with a Polish company and built here at Ghalam (Kazakh aerospace company) - is currently undergoing testing. The design was created in previous years, and the payload has now been assembled for prototyping and test production,” said Kozhaev.
“The most important project - and fingers crossed it comes to life - is the creation of a near-lunar telescope. The creation of the first near-lunar telescope would be a groundbreaking step, pushing the boundaries as we begin to explore real space science and venture into deep space. This project is purely scientific, Ghalam and the [Fesenkov] Astrophysical Research Institute. The design of the telescope is currently in development, and I’m confident that by 2029 or 2030, we’ll see the realization of the first near-lunar telescope project,” said Kozhaev.
Spacecraft construction projects
Kazakhstan’s space industry is gaining international traction, with two new export contracts secured - one with Mongolia for a medium-resolution satellite and another with Congo for the development of a radar satellite.
This room is designed to test spacecraft components weighing between 6-100 tons and is equipped with a vacuum chamber for simulating space conditions. Photo credit: The Astana Times
“The next project is the development of a medium-resolution satellite constellation. It was initially intended solely for Kazakhstan, with an order for three satellites. However, it’s now gaining international momentum. Last year, we signed our first export contract with Mongolia - a private company ordered a fourth satellite from us. This means the constellation will expand, although the timeline will shift slightly, with the additional satellite expected to be launched around 2028,” said Kozhaev.
“At the same time, we signed a second export contract with Congo to build a radar satellite. While the radar satellite project is still in the early planning stages, we expect to begin work in May-June. The initial exchange visits from Congo to us will take place as part of the project’s official launch,” he added.
