Azerbaijan is entering a new era in its space program – the country is preparing to begin domestic satellite production, marking a major step toward technological independence in the aerospace sector.
Speaking at the conference “Opportunities from Space: 10 Years of Satellite Observation for Socio-Economic Development,” acting chairman of Azerbaijan Space Agency (Azercosmos) Dunay Badirkhanov announced that the first production facilities and design centers are ready for launch, Trend informs.
“The groundwork has been completed. The project and engineering documentation for a satellite production plant and a Spacecraft Development Center has been finalized. The construction site is defined, and work will begin in the coming months,” Badirkhanov said.
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He noted that Azercosmos’ research team has been undergoing specialized training in Israel for the past year and a half as part of the Azersky-2 project, learning advanced techniques in spacecraft design and manufacturing – training that continues despite regional instability.
The upcoming facility will focus on the design, assembly, and testing of next-generation satellites. For orbital launches, Azerbaijan has selected SpaceX rockets, marking the first collaboration of its kind between Baku and the U.S. launch provider.
In a structural milestone, Azercosmos has also created a new subsidiary – the Spacecraft Development and Production Center – to streamline future projects and foster in-house innovation in aerospace manufacturing.
“This initiative will allow us to implement our national space projects more efficiently and accelerate the creation of locally produced satellites,” Badirkhanov emphasized.
The announcement reflects Azerbaijan’s ambition to position itself as a regional space technology hub, ten years after launching its first national satellite, Azerspace-1, in 2013.
