Bangladesh Satellite Company Ltd (BSCL) is set to sign a letter of intent (LOI) with France, facilitated by Airbus, for the purchase of its second earth observation satellite. The satellite will focus on non-military applications such as environmental monitoring, meteorology, and cartography.
The LOI is expected to be signed during the French President’s visit to Bangladesh. This new satellite, orbiting approximately 350 miles above the Earth, will provide essential capabilities for monitoring crops and sea conditions, particularly in areas lacking such capabilities.
Bangladesh’s first geostationary communication and broadcasting satellite, Bangabandhu Satellite-1, was launched in 2018 with French collaboration. The communication satellite orbits the Earth at a distance of 22,500 miles and is mainly used for television and V-SAT. The agreement for the second satellite is expected to be finalized within a month or two. Bangladesh is also considering technology transfer and the possibility of satellite sales in the future.