AAzercosmos was established in 2010 and is the only satellite operator in the Caucasus region. Wholly owned by the Government of Azerbaijan, Azercosmos is of strategic importance to the country, whose geography requires the use of satellite communications to provide end-to-end communications independent of foreign providers. It launched its first satellite in 2013, Azerspace-1 which provides high-powered C- and Ku- services to parts of Asia, Europe and MEA.  Development plans of the company include extending the coverage area and spectrum of services offered. For this, it launched a second telecommunications satellite Azerspace-2 in a GEO orbit at 45° East in 2018. The company also operates one Earth Observation satellite, Azersky. In 2021, under the decree the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan a legal entity of public law “Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azercosmos)” was established under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan.