Algerian Space Agency

Algerian Space Agency
الوكالة الفضائية الجزائرية
Established	16 January 2002
Headquarters	14 Rue Omar AISSAOUI EL HAMMADIA, Bouzareah, Algiers; Algeria
Administrator	Azzedine Oussedik
Website	http://www.asal.dz (French)

The Algerian Space Agency (Arabic: الوكالة الفضائية الجزائرية‎‎, (ASAL) was established on 16 January 2002 in Algiers, Bouzareah. It is in charge of the Algerian space program.

Objectives

Propose to the Government the elements of a national strategy in the field of space activity and ensure their implementation;
Establish a space infrastructure to strengthen national capacities;
Implement the annual and multiannual programs to develop national space activities related to the various sectors concerned and to ensure the monitoring and evaluation;
Propose to the Government best suited to national concerns and provide space systems, on behalf of the state, their design, implementation and operation;
Provide the Government a policy of bilateral and multilateral cooperation geared to national needs;
Monitoring and evaluation of the commitments arising from the obligations of the state in regional and international agreements in the fields of space activity

Composition

The Algerian Space Agency consists of a central structure and four operational entities:

Centre of Space Techniques (CTS);
Space Applications Centre (SAC);
Satellite Development Center (SDC);
Operating Systems Telecommunications (HKT) Centre.

International Cooperation

Regarding bilateral cooperation, the Algerian Space Agency signed:^[1]

Government cooperation agreements signed with Argentina Argentine space agency (CONAE), France (CNES), and Ukraine (NSAU);
Memoranda of Understanding and Cooperation with agencies of Russia (Roscosmos), China (CNSA), the United Kingdom (UK Space Agency), Germany (DLR), the India (IRSO), Syria (GORS) and Argentina (CONAE).
Governmental agreements are being finalized with Russia (Roscosmos), South Africa (SANSA) and China (CNSA)

Satellites

Alsat-1: The Algerian satellite ALSAT-1^[2] is the first of a series of 05 microsatellite launched under the DMC (Disaster Monitoring Constellation) for the time period 2002-2005. The objective of the mission is to provide medium resolution multispectral images for monitoring natural disasters as well as other thematic remote sensing applications.
Alsat-2A: On 12 July 2010, the Algerian Earth observation Alsat-2A^[3] satellite was successfully launched from the Sriharikota site near Chennai (South-East of India). Since its orbit, Alsat-2A has provided nearly 30,000 products images.
Alsat-2B: Similar to Alsat-2A but integrated in Algeria^[4] within the small satellite development center (UDPS) in Oran.
Alsat-3: Frequently mentioned as intended to be launched from Hammaguir^[5] but in reality a hoax.^[6]