Kazakhstan to spend about $22 million on new satellite
Kazakhstan’s government has allocated 10.4 billion tenge (about $22 million) from its reserve fund to develop the new KazSat-3R communications satellite. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov signed the resolution.
Why Kazakhstan needs a new satellite
According to the cabinet, the new satellite is intended to replace the operational KazSat-3 satellite, which is due to reach the end of its service life in 2029. This will ensure the uninterrupted operation of the national satellite network and strengthen the country’s technological sovereignty.
The launch of KazSat-3R will ensure:
- Stable operation of satellite networks, mobile communications, and national television and radio broadcasting;
- Expanded broadband internet access to remote and sparsely populated communities where fiber-optic lines cannot be installed;
- Enhanced information security for government agencies and critical infrastructure.
The scale of the space system
As of today, the resources of Kazakhstan’s KazSat system are used by 19 major domestic telecommunications operators, government agencies, and more than 2 million digital television subscribers.
The government said that over the past two years, the share of the population with access to high-speed internet has reached 99%, while satellite technologies remain a key tool for connecting remote villages to digital government services and the QazTech platform.
