Armenia is facing a scandal of cosmic proportions as several countries demand Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan return the satellites “Ayasat-1” and “Armsat-1” from orbit, citing disruptions to their own space operations, according to the Armenian newspaper “Joghovurd.”
The newspaper reports that the launch of the Armenian satellites was poorly calculated and conducted unprofessionally.
In early July, it was revealed that Avet Poghosyan, who recently resigned from his position as Deputy Minister of High-Tech Industry, previously worked as a taxi driver in the United States. He had been overseeing the space program, the newspaper writes.
The publication reminds readers that the satellite Armsat-1, manufactured for Armenia by the Spanish company Satlantis, was launched in May 2022. “Ayasat-1,” the first satellite produced in Armenia, was launched into orbit on December 1, 2023, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
