Kazakhstan to launch satellites on Elon Musk’s rocket

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Kazakhstan plans to launch two satellites on Falcon 9 rocket launch vehicle in California, Kazinform correspondent cites Marat Nurgozhin, Kazakh Deputy Minister of the Defense and Aerospace Industry.

"Over 150 engineers completed internships at factories in Europe, the UK, and Russia. They are working here in Kazakhstan, and we have created our third space system of scientific and technological importance. If all goes well, we will launch two satellites on a Falcon 9 launch vehicle in California on November 19. Alongside this, we will test all the developments of our engineers and designers in space," Marat Nurgorzhin said at the Digital Bridge International Innovation Forum in Astana.

He underlined that space science in Kazakhstan does not rest on its laurels. "Our institutes are developing a fairly large number of high-profile devices making it possible for us to use space technologies on earth, both satellite communications and satellite navigation. I would like to point out that this year we are completing the construction of the assembly and testing complex for spacecraft up to 6 tons. Last year, we introduced a special engineering office," said the deputy minister.

It should be mentioned that Falcon 9 is a two-stage-to-orbit medium lift launch vehicle designed and manufactured in the U.S. by SpaceX (founded by Elon Musk to reduce space transportation costs and enable the colonization of Mars).