Education and Science, Latvia, Technology

The launch of the satellite into orbit has been postponed because the Indian launch vehicle, which was initially planned to take off in December 2009, will not be ready for the launch until next spring. This will give the Latvians more time for developing the project, which has fallen behind schedule due to lack of funding, Reizniece informed.

Additional LVL 100,000 are needed for developing and launching the satellite, further LVL 150,000 will be necessary for the training of experts.

The satellite developers hope to receive the necessary sum of money from the budget of the Education and Science Ministry and by attracting European Union funding. Talks with the Electronic Communications Office on possible co-funding are underway.

Although there are problems with the financing for the project, Reizniece believes that by spring next year it will be completed.

As reported, Ventspils University College, jointly with Riga Technical University, University of Latvia and the Bremen University of Applied Sciences have been cooperating with one of the largest satellite manufacturers in Europe, OHB-System AG to develop Latvia's first satellite, "Venta – 1".

"Venta – 1" will be a nanosatellite with automatic identification system transmitters for supervising ship traffic in Europe. The satellite is being built at the Ventspils University College, and the signals aired by the satellite will be received at the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Center.