Five manufacturers have registered to take part in the bidding this month for building Bangladesh’s first satellite. Boeing, Orbital ATK, MDA/SSL, CGWIC and Thales Alenia Space have until 18 June to submit their proposals, extended from 2…
Five manufacturers have registered to take part in the bidding this month for building Bangladesh’s first satellite.
Boeing, Orbital ATK, MDA/SSL, CGWIC and Thales Alenia Space have until 18 June to submit their proposals, extended from 2 June.
Bangladesh launched a turnkey tender for a broadcast and communications bird called Bangabandu 1 in March, with the goal of launching the 26 Ku-band and 14 C-band satellite to 119.1E in late 2017.
It came about a year after China’s CGWIC approached the government about placing its inaugural satellite at Bangladesh’s planned slot at 133E.
Contrary to some local reports, SatelliteFinance understands that CGWIC had proposed a smaller satellite covering only Bangladesh, rather than the regional coverage that is currently being envisaged.
China’s deal would have included export credit support and is thought to have been about US$65m cheaper than the project cost that Bangladesh had been anticipating at the time.
However, after trying to coordinate its own orbital slots with regulators for several years, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) eventually paid around US$28m for rights to 119.1E in early 2015 from Moscow-based Intersputnik.
The satellite project has also been delayed by disagreements between BTRC and Bangladesh’s Finance Ministry.
BTRC was not available to comment before the press deadline.
Its tender document calls for 85% of the satellite project’s Tk29.68bn (US$383m) cost to be provided by the winning bidder, with the government paying the rest.
BTRC chairman Sunil Kanti Bose has also been cited saying that it was planning to order at least two more satellites to set up a commercial venture.
US-based consultancy firm Space Partnership International has been advising the country on the space project since March 2012.