TIRANA, September 29 – A 3-year contract worth 6 million dollars was signed on Thursday by Albanian authorities with the American company “Satellogic” for the priority use of two satellites, in order to monitor the territory of the country. The contract was signed by the National Civil Defense Agency, an institution subordinate to the Ministry of Defense.
This agreement is expected to enable Albania to have real-time data through high-resolution satellite imageses that would help it to better manage various sectors of the economy like agriculture, tourism and environment as well as address problems related to illegal constructions, cultivation of narcotic plants, fire and traffic monitoring, and border security.
The two satellites that will be used by the Albanian side will be named “Albania-1” and “Albania-2”, and are expected to join the Satellogic company’s fleet in its next satellite launch with SpaceX. The American company, as explained by Emiliano Kargieman, its leader and co-founder, “will facilitate the training of Albanian specialists so that they can help the various ministries for the analysis and distribution of satellite data and to build the capacities of the Albanian space economy.”
Prime Minister Edi Rama, who attended the signing ceremony, said that Albania enters another era in terms of law enforcement, the fight against corruption, strengthening the state and equality before the law after the launch of these satellites.
In addition to satellite services, Albania is expected to soon receive 6 “Bajraktar” drones from Turkey. Prime Minister Rama said that they will be equipped with weapons.
/Argumentum.al
