阿尔及利亚开启新卫星计划

航天领域的发展已成为各国经济发展和国家主权的战略挑战。因此，几年前，为了巩固国家主权，加快经济增长，促进社会进步，阿尔及利亚也开始关注航天领域。阿尔及利亚制定的2006～2020年航天规划，包括了多颗卫星的发射，其中，最重要的也是收官之作，就是阿尔及利亚一号通信卫星(阿星一号)的发射。

阿星一号于2017年12月发射，是最重要的卫星之一，也是阿尔及利亚2006～2020年航天规划的重要成果。该项目于2006年11月启动，目的是逐步获取航天技术，满足国家可持续发展需要，应对航天发展活动挑战。

在此背景下，阿尔及利亚成功发射了阿星一号。通过这一多任务项目，阿尔及利亚建立起有效、安全、适当的传输网络，增强了国家电信主权。

⬆2017年12月11日,我国成功发射阿尔及利亚一号通信卫星 (新华社 琚振华摄 )

阿星一号在中阿合作中具有战略意义

在中国的合作参与下，这个重要的航天项目得以落实。中国四川西昌卫星发射中心用长征三号乙运载火箭，成功将阿星一号发射升空。几天后，时任阿尔及利亚总统与习近平主席互致贺电，表示：“这是阿尔及利亚航天局和多家中国机构成功合作的重要成就。”

阿尔及利亚高度赞赏中国愿意把自己非常发达的信息通信技术进行分享。并且，在其他国家从不分享和保守秘密的领域，比如高技术和航天科学领域，中国也一直表现出分享精神。
习近平主席多次强调，要构建人类命运共同体，这意味着我们必须合作，交流经验和知识，实现全人类的发展和进步。2014年5月25日，时任阿尔及利亚总统布特弗利卡与中国国家主席习近平签署了全面战略伙伴关系协定。阿星一号的成功发射正是分享精神的表现，也是中阿全面战略伙伴关系的具体体现。

阿星一号是一颗高科技卫星，价值2.5亿美元。采用东方红四号公用卫星平台，重5.2吨，宽26米，将在地球静止轨道上运行15年。它有多项任务，目的是通过建立一个适当、有效、安全的传输网络，增强国家电信主权。

阿星一号配备33路转发器，包括9路专门用于数字电视和广播的转发器，提供电视、音频传输、远程教育、远程医疗和视频会议等服务。它确保了电信服务在发生重大自然灾害时能够继续运行，并增加了国家电信网络能力。阿星一号也通过长波段发射，覆盖北半球大部分地区，可以优化地理定位卫星(GPS、GLONASS、Galileo)的信号质量，减少干扰或故意恶化信号的风险。

边境监控也是该卫星目标之一，旨在通过优化电信网络，降低当前运营成本（目前由国际电信系统提供），重新配置集中在阿尔及利亚北部的电信活动和服务。
阿星一号不仅向本国提供卫星服务，还为北非、西非和中非的许多其他国家提供卫星服务。它保证了互联网Ka波段上较高的传播速度(20
mb/s)，能够覆盖整个阿尔及利亚领土。并且，通过Ku波段，它能为北非用户提供中速互联网(2
mb/s)，包括阿尔及利亚、摩洛哥、毛里塔尼亚、西撒哈拉、马里、尼日尔、布基纳法索、利比亚、突尼斯、乍得北部、北苏丹。

良好的投资回报，对当地和区域发展的积极影响

两年来，布盖祖勒（东南170公里）和布乔伊（阿尔及尔）的电信系统开发中心，阿尔及利亚航天局的工程师对阿星一号进行了开发和控制。他们中的300多人在中国接受了有关卫星控制、操作、专业知识和组装方面的培训。

阿尔及利亚航天局对记者说，现在，阿尔及利亚航天局拥有良好的投资回报。借助阿星一号系统，阿尔及利亚航天局在节目通信和广播性能方面获得了积极而有前景的反馈。这些能力还用于广播、电话、数据传输、灾难管理以及体育和文化活动现场报道等方面。

在与国家和国际运营商签署了多份合同之后，该卫星的开发还令2.7万多所学校和3700多所医院受益。甚小孔径终端卫星解决方案可实现偏远地区多站点间的高速互联(如农村地区、山区或缺乏地面电信基础设施地区)。

它为所有用户提供了高可用性卫星链接和高质量应用程序的保证，从而使所有用户受益。它可以向公共电视频道播放高清节目。50多个无线电频道也通过该卫星向全国和别国进行广播。

在这方面，许多阿尔及利亚私营电视频道可以通过卫星播放其节目，并将其观众群扩大到非洲以外。阿尔及利亚电信卫星公司首席执行官说，有了这颗卫星，阿尔及利亚能每年省下大约2000万美元。此前，由于向外国卫星运营商求助，阿尔及利亚的电视和广播频道要支付约2000万美元。

这颗卫星不仅对阿尔及利亚，而且对该区域的许多其他国家也带来了积极的影响。在这方面，毛里塔尼亚对阿星一号提供的电信服务表示感兴趣，特别是在海事和碳氢化合物行业。突尼斯也表示希望从卫星服务中获益。

阿星一号，下一代阿尔及利亚卫星的模型

如上所述，阿星一号是2006～2020年航天规划的成果，也是阿尔及利亚第六颗进入轨道的卫星。

阿尔及利亚航天局表示，目前，阿尔及利亚航天局在即将研究制定的2020～2040航天规划中，也计划再次发射多颗新一代卫星。

2016年9月，阿尔及利亚从印度发射了Alsat-1B、Alsat-2B和Alsat-1N卫星。

Alsat-1B是继2002年发射Alsat-1号之后，第二颗中等分辨率地球观测卫星。它从670公里高度的轨道上拍摄图像，帮助专家对环境和不同的自然生态系统进行保护，观测荒漠化现象及其演变，绘制土地使用图，进行区域和沿海规划，预防和管控自然风险。

Alsat-2B是第二颗高分辨率地球观测卫星，自2010年7月以来，一直位于670公里高度的轨道上。Alsat-2B卫星拍摄的图像增加了拍摄频率，加强了国家领土覆盖能力。

Alsat-1N是一颗纳型卫星，肩负科学使命和技术展示任务，是在与英国航天局合作框架内，由阿尔及利亚—英国专家小组研发而成。

英文版

How cooperation with China birthed Algeria's Alcomsat-1 satellite

By Anis BENHEDOUGA  Journalist for Algerian Radio

The
development of space programs has become for nations a strategic
challenge of economic development and national sovereignty. For this
reason, Algeria had focused on space, a few years ago to consolidate its
sovereignty, accelerate its economic growth and bring social progress
for its citizens. It had established a 2006-2020 space program which
includes the launch of several satellites and which ended with the
launch of its most important satellite Alcomsat-1.

The Algerian
satellite Alcomsat-1 was one of the most important Algerian satellites,
and its launch two years ago constituted the achievement of the Algerian
space program 2006-2020. This program was initiated in November 2006
and aimed to gradually acquire space technology and meet national needs
for sustainable development as a response to the challenges of space
development activities.
In this context, Algeria has successfully
launched the Alcomsat-1 satellite, a multi-mission tool that aims to
strengthen national sovereignty in telecommunications through the
establishment of an appropriate transmission network that is efficient
and secure.

Alcomsat-1 has a strategic dimension in the cooperation between Algeria and China

This
important space project was possible with the cooperation with China.
Few days after successful launch by the Chinese Long March 3B rocket
from Xichang Satellite Launch Centre, in Sichuan Province, the former
Algerian President exchanged with President Xi Jinping congratulations
on this achievement, which was the "fruit of a successful scientific
partnership between the Algerian Space Agency (ASAL) and several Chinese
bodies".

The willingness of China to share technology in a
very developed field, namely ICTs, was very appreciated by the Algerian
President.

Indeed, China was always motivated by the spirit of
sharing even in sectors where other countries never share anything and
keep their secrets, especially in high technology and space science
fields.
As President Xi Jinping said many times, we have to build a
community of shared future. This is means that we have to cooperate and
exchange the experiences and knowledge to achieve the development and
progress for all.

The spirit of knowledge sharing was
demonstrated by the successful launch of Alcomsat-1, which is the
concretisation of the strategic partnership agreement signed by
President Bouteflika and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, on May 25,
2014.

The $250 million Alcomsat-1 is a satellite of very high
technology. It is part of the Dong Feng Hong 4 range, which has a mass
of 5,200 kg and which is 26 meters wide for 15 years in geostationary
orbit.
It has many missions with the objective to strengthen
national sovereignty in the area of telecommunications, through the
establishment of an appropriate, efficient and secure transmission
network.
Alcomsat-1 is equipped with 33 transponders, including 9
dedicated to the broadcasting of digital TV and radio. It provides
television, audio transmission, distance education, telemedicine, and
videoconferencing services among others.

It allows the
continuity of operation of telecommunications services in the event of
major natural disasters and also  increases the capacity of the national
telecommunications network.
The Alcomsat-1 satellite, which also
transmits on the L-band and covers a large part of the northern
hemisphere of Earth, allows optimizing the signal quality of
geo-location satellites (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo) and reducing the risk of
interference or deliberate deterioration of signals.

Border
surveillance is also part of the objectives of the satellite, which also
aims to relocate activities and services concentrated in the north of
the country through an optimized telecommunications network and the
reduction of current operating costs linked to the use of the space
capacity provided by international telecommunications systems.

The
Alcomsat-1 provides satellite services not only to Algeria but many
other countries in north, west and central Africa. It allows the
diffusion of internet on the KA band at a very high speed (20Mb/s),
which covers the entire Algerian territory, and providing users in North
Africa with medium speed internet (2Mb/s) via the Ku-band that will
cover, in addition to Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Western Sahara,
Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Libya, Tunisia, northern Chad, and North
Sudan.

Good return on investment and positive impact on local and regional development

For
two years, ASAL engineers from the telecommunication system
exploitation centers of Boughezoul (170 km- south-east) and Bouchaoui
(Algiers) carry out the exploitation and control of the Alcomsat-1. More
than 300 of them have been trained in the control, operation,
expertise, and assembly of the satellite in China.

Today the
Algerian Space Agency ensures a good return on investment. With the
Alcomsat-1 system, ASAL has had positive and promising feedback on the
performance of program communications and broadcasting. These capacities
are also used to develop new applications in broadcasting, telephony,
data transmission, disaster management and live coverage of sporting and
cultural events.

After the signing of several contracts with
national and international operators, the exploitation of the
satellite, more than 27,000 schools and 3,700 hospitals also benefit
from the satellite program. The VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal)
satellite solution enables high-speed interconnection between several
sites located in isolated areas like rural sites, mountains or areas
lacking telecommunications infrastructure on the ground.

It provides them the guarantee of high availability satellite links and quality applications for the benefit of all users.

It
allowed broadcasting to public television channels in high definition.
More than 50 radio channels also broadcasted through the satellite to
all national territory and other countries.

In this regard,
many Algerian private television channels could broadcast their program
through the satellite and expand their audience base beyond Africa.

With
this satellite, the CEO of Algeria Telecom Satellite (ATS) said the
country would be able to save some 20 million dollars, which it loses
annually in the broadcasting of TV and radio channels by calling on
foreign satellite operators.

This satellite has also strong
positive impact, not only for Algeria but also for many other countries
in the region. In this regard, Mauritania expressed his interest in
telecommunication services provided by Alcomsat-1, especially in
maritime and hydrocarbur sectors. Tunisia has also indicated readiness
to benefit from the satellite services.

⬆The Algerian satellite Alcomsat-1

Alcomsat-1, a model for next Algerian satellites

As
mentioned above, the Alcomsat-1 was the achievement of space program
2006-2020, and it was the sixth Algerian satellite launched into orbit.

The
Algerian Space Agency aims to launch several latest generation
satellites as part of its 2020-2040 space program, which is currently
under study.

In September 2016, Algeria launched the
satellites Alsat-1B, Alsat-2B, and Alsat-1N, from India. Alsat-1B is the
second Algerian earth observation satellite at medium resolution,
launched by Algeria after Alsat-1(launched in 2002).

Its
objective is to take images from an orbit at 670 km altitude to help
experts in the protection of the environment and the different natural
ecosystems, the observation of the phenomena of desertification and
their maps, the mapping of land use, regional and coastal planning, as
well as the prevention and management of natural risks.

Alsat-2B
is the second high-resolution earth observation satellite, placed in an
orbit at 670 km altitude, after Alsat-2A in orbit since July 2010. The
images taken by Alsat-2B are increasing the frequency of shots and
strengthen the national territory's coverage capacities.

Alsat-1N
is a nanosatellite with scientific mission and technological
demonstration developed within the framework of the implementation of
the cooperation agreement with the space agency of the United Kingdom
(UKSA), by a team of Algerian-British researchers.