Kazakhstan to diversify satellite suppliers in future

ASTANA, (RIA Novosti) - Kazakhstan will not name Russia as a privileged supplier of satellites and will announce international tenders after the launch of its KazSat-2, the head of the Kazakh space agency said on Tuesday.

Kazakhstan launched its first satellite, KazSat-1, in June 2006; however, its control systems failed last June. Astana is set to launch KazSat-2 in December 2010.

"KazSat-2 will be made at the Khrunichev R&D center in Russia under a contract signed in 2006, and over 8 [...]

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