BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

26/07/2006

Belarus To Launch Its First Satellite

July 26, 2006 -- Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka is expected today in Kazakhstan to attend the launching of his country's first-ever satellite.

The Russian-built Belka satellite will be launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome at 1:43 a.m. on July 27.

It will be carried by a Russian rocket, along with one Russian and one Italian satellite.

The Belka, which costs $9 million, is designed to collect cartographic, geodesic, and meteorological data.

During his visit to Kazakhstan, Lukashenka will hold talks with the top management of the Russian Space Agency.

(Belta, Kazakhstan Today, Interfax-Kazakhstan)

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/07/9686023D-337D-41E4-BDD5-DAB8A8536A2F.html