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The satellite launches into orbit  (Source: Xinhua)
Venezuela launches its first satellite into orbit, with the help of China

It seems that every time a great thing happens in space research, there is at least one more incident that will cause concern among space experts.

The country of Venezuela successfully launched its first satellite into orbit aboard a Chinese Long March 3II rocket.  The Venesat-1 launch took place at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China.

Developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Chinese and Venezuelans officials expect the satellite to work for at least 15 years.

The successful launch of the $406 million project was greeted with joy by President Hugo Chavez, who said, "This satellite is a satellite for freedom."

Although it could be used to listen to phone conversations, Venezuelan government officials said the satellite will be used strictly for radio and TV transmissions only.  It will reportedly be able to provide thousands of Venezuelans living in remote locations to have TV, radio and Internet access.  More importantly, remote areas will be able to have tele-education and medical capabilities once the satellite begins transmission.

Three months of satellite maintenance tests must be carried out, and then the satellite will go online in 2009.

The satellite's reach will span from southern Mexico to Argentina.  Nations within coverage range will have the opportunity to use the satellite for telecommunications purposes, Venezuela officials said.

Venezuela joins Brazil, Mexico and Argentina as the only Latin American nations that have satellites in space. Venezuela plans to continue research for future satellite projects, but did not specify what kind of projects it's interested in.  

The satellite will be monitored at a new space facility in Venezuela, alongside Chinese space technicians who will be assigned to the facility.

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Sadly a populist satellite
By ertomas on 10/30/2008 1:58:51 PM , Rating: 4
[rant]
As a Venezuelan (living in Venezuela) I'm glad we made it into space... Sadly this won't benefit "The People" as our goverment claims with every thing it does...

It will only benefit a few.

While 200 Venezuelan citizens are killed on the streets every week, 80% of the people remain poor, industries fly out of here, etc, all our President does is a permanent electoral campaign wasting both taxpayer's money and the huge income from oil in other countries and personal promotion... [/rant]




RE: Sadly a populist satellite
By jvillaro on 10/30/2008 11:05:30 PM , Rating: 2
True true, as everything he does. It`s just propaganda for his "pretty" and "peacefull" revolution.


RE: Sadly a populist satellite
By Ammohunt on 10/31/2008 3:22:24 PM , Rating: 2
yeah! Viva La Revolution! Socialism at its best. America is in for a taste of the same; if Obama gets elected.


Inherent bias in the article?
By Amiga500 on 10/30/2008 10:41:02 AM , Rating: 3
Although it could be used to listen to phone conversations, Venezuelan government officials said the satellite will be used strictly for radio and TV transmissions only.

All communications satellites can be used to eavesdrop.

I don't think it is fair to infer the Venezuelans would act differently to any of the western governments.




RE: Inherent bias in the article?
By jvillaro on 10/30/2008 12:37:44 PM , Rating: 2
It´s kind of biased but not so far fetched. Maybe it won´t be used to spy or listen into phone conversations abroad but localy I can see it happening.
They venezuelan goverment already does it anyway as they control the venezuelan telephone company CANTV and use it to spy on the local "enemies".

quote:
I don't think it is fair to infer the Venezuelans would act differently to any of the western governments.

They don´t, they act just the same but saying they are independant, socialist, anti-imperialist and free blah blah blah and all that BS.


random photo?
By DeltaZero on 10/30/2008 11:24:31 AM , Rating: 1
Why does that rocket have a Russian flag on it?




RE: random photo?
By keko on 10/30/2008 11:41:24 AM , Rating: 2
it's a veezuelan flag: it has yellow on top instead of white


RE: random photo?
By jvillaro on 10/30/08, Rating: 0
RE: random photo?
By jvillaro on 10/30/2008 11:07:14 PM , Rating: 2
LOL. Coño chico me quitaron un punto por decir que si era la bandera de mi pais? WTF?


This article's wording could use some clarification.
By 91TTZ on 10/30/2008 9:17:30 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Russia and France both offered to build the satellite, but Venezuela eventually chose China to build its first rocket.


This makes no sense. The use of the word "but" after the comma implies that the second half of the sentence contradicts the first half. However, choosing China to build the rocket has nothing at all to do with France and Russia offering to build the satellite. You could still have a French/Russian satellite launched by a Chinese rocket.




By Spivonious on 10/30/2008 9:48:25 AM , Rating: 2
Another one:

quote:
It will reportedly be able to provide thousands of Venezuelans living in remote locations to have TV, radio and Internet access.


This should probably be:

"It will reportedly...locations with TV..."


Monopoly in spying
By tonyp4 on 10/30/2008 1:27:47 PM , Rating: 2
Only US can spy. Another biased reporting from the west media and its leaders?

The list goes on for ever. Let me know who you are: stupid, self-centered, thinking your readers are stupid, creating controversy so you can sell more ads...




Vzla
By Ju4nit0 on 10/30/2008 4:52:24 PM , Rating: 2
Well that satellite is just to get the attention from people in Venezuela and get some votes for the government in the upcoming elections in Venezuela. Sorry for my bad English. By the way Chavez said G. Bush wanted to stop the satellite launch, I think that's funny...




Too costly
By jithvk on 10/31/2008 3:20:25 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
The successful launch of the $406 million project was greeted with joy by President Hugo Chavez


I think the $406 Million is too costly. India recently sent an orbiter to moon and the total cost was just $80 million. I think Venezuela didn't float a global tender for their satellite. Or china just cheated them pretending to be friends. :)




Voices from Afar
By CalWorthing on 11/2/2008 12:01:39 PM , Rating: 2
Good to know that there are legions of alert anti-Ven & anti-Chavez folks lurking. Perhaps they're amongst the rich that fled to Miami. Oh, check out how the Ven's have invited the oil co.s back to explore.

No way would the US Gov. do all it could to destabilize and marginalize such a naughty boy like Chavez. After all, he and GW have similarly scaled egos.




Spy Satellite
By vcolon on 10/30/08, Rating: -1
RE: Spy Satellite
By mmntech on 10/30/2008 10:21:25 AM , Rating: 5
It's not a spy satellite. It projects a giant image of Hugo Chavez on the moon so the whole world can know how great he thinks he is.


RE: Spy Satellite
By jvillaro on 10/30/2008 11:53:06 AM , Rating: 2
LOL! As a venezuelan living in Venezuela I have to see him even in the boxes of cereal (not true but almost). Now I can just imagine him forcing everyone to see his 5 hour speeches on a proyection on the moon!


RE: Spy Satellite
By cete on 10/30/2008 12:35:54 PM , Rating: 2
What can be so sinister about Venezuela's agendas?


RE: Spy Satellite
By DarkElfa on 10/30/2008 2:43:33 PM , Rating: 3
Well, if you ever wondered why governments that function like Ven's current one does always seem to have to control everything, its mainly because they perform so many tasteless and unsavory actions that if they allowed any of it to become visible, there would be a coup the next day. Its already plainly obvious that he's no better than the Saddams, Castros and Kim Jong-ils that have ran their dictatorships to cater to their monstrous egos.

...and before the haters come on and say that Bush is the same way, remember that we can at least bash trhe crap out of him all we want here. You guys go ahead and try it with Chavez and watch how fast you get disappeared.


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