Kazakhstan invests $22.2 million in new satellite to secure communications network

Kazakhstan is set to invest $22.2 million in the development of a new communications satellite, KazSat-3R, as the Central Asian nation prepares to replace its ageing KazSat-3 spacecraft before it reaches the end of its operational life in 2029.

The funding, approved under a government resolution signed by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, is intended to maintain the country's satellite communications network, which supports television broadcasting, data transmission, mobile communications and internet services across Kazakhstan.

KazSat-3R will replace KazSat-3, which was launched in 2014 and remains a key part of the country's telecommunications infrastructure.

Satellite communications are particularly important in Kazakhstan, the world's ninth-largest country by land area, where remote communities are often beyond the reach of conventional terrestrial networks.

According to the government, the KazSat system serves 19 telecommunications operators and provides television services to more than two million subscribers, underlining its strategic importance for both consumers and businesses.

International competition

Kazakhstan plans to award the satellite construction contract by the end of 2026. Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry Minister Zhaslan Madiyev said companies from Russia, China, Türkiye and Finland had submitted bids.

The applicants include Russia's Glavkosmos, China's China Great Wall Industry Corporation and Shanghai Engineering Center for Microsatellites, reflecting strong international competition in a sector dominated by a relatively small number of specialised manufacturers.

Lessons from the 2023 malfunction

The need for a replacement became more pressing after KazSat-3 suffered a power system malfunction in 2023, temporarily disrupting television broadcasting.

Although engineers restored the satellite's operation, the incident exposed the risks associated with ageing orbital infrastructure and reinforced plans to commission a successor before the existing spacecraft reaches the end of its service life.

KazSat-3 was built by Russia's Information Satellite Systems Reshetnev in partnership with an Italian aerospace company and launched into orbit in 2014.

Since then, it has formed the backbone of Kazakhstan's domestic satellite communications network, supporting broadcasters, telecommunications providers and government services.

Expanding space ambitions

The KazSat-3R project also reflects Kazakhstan's ambition to strengthen its domestic space industry and reduce dependence on foreign satellite services.

As demand for secure communications and digital connectivity continues to grow, the government sees satellite infrastructure as a key element of the country's telecommunications network.

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