Two months after launching its first satellite into space, the Armenian government announces that it is working to establish satellite production in the country. Robert Khachatryan, the Minister of High-Tech Industry of Armenia, told this to RFE/RL Armenian Service.

"During the era of the Soviet Union, there were such capabilities in Armenia, and these capabilities, one can say, have been partially preserved. We have both in terms of personnel, we have good ideas here, we have specialists whose knowledge can be used very well," he added, in particular.

But Khachatryan responded in the negative when asked whether we are talking about communication satellites here.

"At the moment we are thinking in the direction of remote sensing satellites," the minister added.

According to him, they are currently negotiating with the Spanish Satlantis company as the main partner in the production of satellites in Armenia. It was in cooperation with this company that the Armenian government launched the ArmSat-1 satellite into space this May.

"We are open for cooperation with other companies as well," Khachatryan added.

"We should have a control and receiving station by the end of the year," the minister said.

Also, Robert Khachatryan informed that Armenia will launch its second satellite into space within the next two years.

"The second one will also be a satellite that takes pictures. I can't say timeframes [yet], but [it will be] around [20]23, [20]24", he added, in particular.