A Satellite Control Center and Reception Station to Be Established in Armenia, Says Pashinyan

During a cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that a satellite control center and reception station will be established in Armenia by the end of 2023. Pashinyan also added that a team of specialists will be formed around this initiative.

“The main functions of the control center include satellite management and the acquisition of satellite images. It is planned that the reception station will provide services for receiving and transmitting satellite data for other satellite operators. The photographs taken by the satellite will be used in Armenia for border control, emergency prevention and management, environmental protection including climate change monitoring, urban planning, road construction, geology, and other fields. Space technologies—including satellites, reception stations, scanning, and observation systems installed on satellites—are considered one of the fastest-growing sectors of the global economy,” Pashinyan stated.

Taking this into account, the Prime Minister informed that a law on space activities was developed by the Office of the Security Council and the Ministry of High-Tech Industry of Armenia, which was adopted by the National Assembly of Armenia on March 6, 2020. This law, along with a package of government decisions, defines the rules and technical regulations for space activities, safety standards, and management procedures for issuing licenses. This legislative package provides tax incentives for licensed companies operating in the industry.