Unfolding a new page of the nation’s proud history, Bangladesh Friday joined the Space Age by successfully launching the Bangabandhu Communications Satellite-1 from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

A Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket, an upgrade version of the SpaceX, was launched at 4-14pm (local time) from LC-39A pad to deliver the 7,700 pound Bangabandhu-1 satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit.

Thousands of fired-up Bangladeshi-Americans and  visitors from foreign countries  witnessed the historic  live rocket launch that left them in awe. The sheer spectacle of sights and sounds was a jaw-dropping, bucket-list experience.

Visitors cheered and shouted slogns as the Falcon 9 Block 5, the latest verson of SpaceX , was launched on its maiden mission As the countdown began, Bangladeeshi-Americans sang national anthem and shouted “ Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu.”

The spacecraft will provide broadcasting and telecommunication services to rural areas and introduce direct-to-home television programming across Bangladesh and neighboring countries.

Manufactured by the Thales Alenia Space of France, Bangladesh will operate satellite from 119.1 degree East using a payload comprising 14 C-Band and 26 Ku-Band transponders to deliver focused telecommunications coverage to Bangladesh. One transponder is equivalent to 36 MHz.  

Two ground stations for controlling the satellite have already been built at Joydebpur of Gazipur and Rangamati's Betbunia. 

Ku-band will cover Bangladesh and its territorial area of the Bay of Bengal, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Philippines.

On the other hand, C-band will cover Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and portions of Kazakhstan. 

Bangabandhu-I will offer video services for Direct-to-Home (DTH), e-learning, Tele-medicine, Family Planning, Farming etc while voice service to cellular backhaul and disaster recovery, etc and data service for internet, SCADA, SOHO as well as business-to-business (VSAT) etc.

The satellite will contain 40 transponders; Bangladesh will use 20 and rent out the rest.

The two ground stations that will control the satellite will be built at Gazipur's Joydebpur and Rangamati's Betbunia on the land owned by Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Ltd.