"We are collaborating with BSCL to establish the right approach," François Royer, sales and marketing director of Airbus Defence and Space – Space Systems, told a group of journalists who visited its headquarters in Toulouse, France, on Tuesday.
The Bangladesh Satellite Company Ltd (BSCL) has already signed a letter of intent on cooperation with Airbus for the Bangabandhu-2, which will be the country's first earth-observation satellite.
This signing took place on September 11 during French President Emmanuel Macron's Dhaka visit.
Bangladesh's initial satellite was designed primarily for communication purposes.
The Bangabandhu-2 will form a constellation of satellites, enhancing Bangladesh's position as a spacefaring nation, according to the Airbus director.
"What's crucial is that having your satellite grants you autonomy and sovereignty. You'll have the ability to operate the satellite independently and confidentially," Royer said.
"Only a few nations worldwide possess such autonomy, and Bangladesh will hopefully be one of them," he added.
"You will be able to acquire images from anywhere once you have the satellite," he continued.
Satellites serve diverse purposes, including weather forecasting, television signal transmission, amateur radio, internet communications, and the Global Positioning System. They are also employed in observations of the solar system, research and data collection.
Key areas requiring satellite imagery include land-based services, mapping, environmental monitoring and agriculture. Previously, Bangladesh used to purchase these images from external sources.
For agriculture, satellite-derived geospatial statistics offer timely and accurate support for defining and assessing agricultural policies at the district level. This includes estimating crop acreage, production, fertilizer requirements, and irrigation needs. Hugues Pavie, head of intelligence business growth for the Asia-Pacific, noted that using satellites allows cities to plan, anticipate, and manage their growth and development.
