Luxembourg has entered into a new space age following the successful launch on 31, January 2018, of the GovSat-1 satellite from the Cape Canaveral Space Center.
As a joint venture established in 2015 between the government and the global satellite operator SES, GovSat-1 will provide secure and reliable communication capabilities for both military and civilian purposes to meet growing demand in the institutional and defence sectors.
“The aim was to create a new value proposition that did not previously exist on the market,” says GovSat CEO Patrick Biewer in an interview published on the Tradeandinvest website.
In addition to covering national requirements for military-frequency satellite communications, GovSat-1’s capabilities will be used by allied and partner countries, as well as by international organisations, including NATO and the European Union.
Now in its geostationary orbit some 30,000 km from the earth, GovSat-1 will be operational within a few weeks and will cover mainly Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
