After a 45 minutes delay due to unfavourable weather conditions, the ARSAT-1 geostationary satellite successfully launched this afternoon from a base in French Guiana.
The historical launching has been broadcasted nationwide, while President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has supervised the process live from the Government House in Buenos Aires City.
It is the first all Argentine-made satellite built by the INVAP; a high-tech private company from Río Negro province associated with the Atomic Energy National Commission during the 1970’s.
With the ARSAT-1 now in orbit the country will enjoy full satellite coverage, as will the territories of Malvinas Islands, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.
The device will save rental expenses from foreign states, a cost estimated at 25 million dollars per-year, and it will be used for data transmission, telephone and television services.
Twitter social network reflected the impact of today’s events, as users hash-tagged the historical act with the #SoberaniaSatelital (Satellite Sovereignty) phrase, and “Tenemos Patria” (We have our homeland) among others.
Cabinet chief Jorge Capitanich earlier said in his daily press briefing that the launching marks an “historic day” and praised the government’s efforts to defend the country’s satellital sovereignty.
buenosairesherald.com