Kazakhstan, S. Korea's CONTEC discuss potential joint satellite production

ASTANA. Sept 14 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan and South Korea's CONTEC Space Group are planning space industrial cooperation, the Kazakh government's press service said in a statement on Monday.

The prospects of joint technological and investment projects were discussed at a meeting between Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Development Minister Zhaslan Madiyev and the group's chief executive Sunghee Lee at a meeting in Seoul, it said.

"The talks focused on CONTEC plans to invest in Ghalam [an Astana-based enterprise that specializes in spacecraft design and manufacturing], possibilities of jointly producing satellites and their components and developing a network of ground control stations," the statement said.

One promising area is creating a production hub in Kazakhstan to make satellite components for buyers in Central Asia, Middle East and Europe. Another is localizing the production of large ground array systems.

"A special emphasis was placed on developing AI processing of satellite imagery. Using AI would broaden possibilities for analyzing remote-sensing data and using them to solve practical problems," the statement said.

"Very soon CONTEC is expected to set up its Kazakhstani subsidiary and further work on partnership parameters. Details of the cooperation will be unveiled during the Kazakh president's state visit to South Korea," the statement said.

CONTEC Space Group is comprised of CONTEC, Asia Pacific Satellite Corporation and Texas Space Communication. The group supplies on-board computers for South Korean state satellites and operates 17 ground control stations globally, including in Chile, the United States, South Africa and Australia.