Belarus may launch a new satellite for the remote sensing of the Earth by 2017, Alexander Tuzikov, Director General of the United Informatics Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, told media.
        In his words, the working lifespan of the first satellite that has been successfully put into orbit this year is five years. Therefore, by 2017 Belarus will need another satellite for the remote sensing of the Earth.
       The concept of a new national space program is in development in Belarus. The document is expected to  draw attention to the development and a possible launch of the new satellite for the remote sensing of the Earth.
       The Director General remarked that the main parameters of the future satellite had not been determined yet.
       The Belarusian satellite designed to enable remote sensing of the Earth was launched into outer space from the Baikonur space launch site, Kazakhstan in July 2012. It will be able to provide satellite images of entire Belarus. With the satellite of its own, Belarus plans to satisfy the domestic demand for satellite images and sell them to other countries.