In an exclusive interview with Jornal o OPAÍS, the director of the National Space Program Management Office (GGPEN), Zolana João, explained that the real focus of the satellite is to reduce information exclusion in the country, taking communication to the most remote parts of the country. Nowadays, Angosat already provides functional and operational solutions to the agriculture, oil, mining and logistics sectors, having reiterated that the Angolan satellite has helped to stop spending 15 to 30 million dollars on purchasing services in the abroad and highlighted that Angosat-2 has been operated for more than a year by national staff
What is the status of Angosat?
First of all, say that the Angosat Project is not just the satellite, but a project with several components, where the satellite is just one of these components. The Angosat-2 satellite is operational and is being used to provide communication services as an example of the Conecta Angola project. In addition, it has also allowed, through the Conecta Angola project, to bring Internet to more remote areas, especially in the East of the country.
He said that talking regarding Angosat is talking regarding a project. Can you explain?
When we talk regarding Angosat, we are talking regarding a project that involved construction and launch of the satellite, acquisition of the orbital position, construction of a Satellite Mission and Control Center (MCC), external infrastructures to support the operationalization of the Center such as energy stations, treatment water, roads, among others. Let us say that Angosat-2, through the various partners, has already allowed the implementation of more than nine satellite receiving terminals on the social side and more than 200 on the commercial side.
This management requires certified staff. How are we on this?
We’re not bad. We have a continuous training process here. Today we have been operating the satellite for over a year in orbit at 100% with national labor.
Which institutions are responsible for training these staff?
The Angolan staff were certified for satellite operation by the Russian Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS), by Airbus Defense and Space (ADS), one of the largest entities in the world in Satellite matters, by Thales Alenia Space, in addition to receiving master’s level training and PhDs at Universities such as George Washington University (USA), Higher Institute of Aeronautics and Space (ISAE-SUPAERO) in France, University of Tver State University, Russia.
We live in the age of fiber Internet. There are those who even question the relevance of satellites for Internet services. How do you look at that?
It is true that today there is fiber, but it is important to realize that the satellite is not a replacement for fiber, but rather a complementary means of communication. As is known, in Africa the majority of the population lives in rural and remote areas. Angosat-2 has been useful in complementing the national fiber network and reaching remote areas where fiber does not reach.
Can you explain better?
I’m talking, for example, regarding the Eastern region, the cases of the province of Moxico, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul and Cuando Cubango. Therein lies the focus, to reach places where there is no provision of communications services in the country, since telecommunications companies conventionally, for the most part, do not invest in areas with low population density, as there is no expectation of a return on investment there. Taking into account the operational and maintenance costs of ground equipment.
There are already effects of Conecta Angola, where?
The focus of Conecta Angola is the East of the country as previously mentioned, in locations such as Sombo in Lunda Sul, Canzar in Lunda Norte, Dirico, Jamba Cueio and Luiana in Cuando Cubango, among others. At this moment we can be proud of the fact that we already have approximately nine Internet access terminals in these regions of the country. It is important to note that by doing this, we are helping to reduce info-exclusion, one of the main objectives of MINTTICS.
So can we say that this is the focus of the program for now?
Yes. We have a mission to reduce info-exclusion in the country.
BY: Ladislau Francisco
