Kazakhstan Adopts State Space Program

28 January 2005 -- Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev has signed a decree on developing Kazakhstan's space sector.
The decree approves a state program on developing space activities, concentrating on scientific and technical pursuits aimed at promoting Kazakhstan's economy as well as ensuring state security.

A state space company, Kazkosmos, is being created to manage those programs.

Kazakhstan's space sector is being developed in close cooperation with Russia's space agency. The Central Asian country's first national satellite is scheduled to be launched into orbit later this year.

(NCA/ITAR-TASS)