SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Transition to Free Software

The Venezuelan government is in the process of developing technological infrastructure based on open-source software with the goal of achieving technological sovereignty. The National Central Foundation of Development and Investigation in Free Technologies (CENDITEL) has proposed  developing a platform that offers the necessary services for the development of free software across the nation.

CENDITEL, with the participation of diverse free software development communities in the country, is working to develop and establish standards  and best practices for the development of free software. For that purpose, it is using a platform composed of tools that integrate services and automate processes related to software development. The following criteria are being used to develop this platform:

• Component-Based: This will permit the platform to adapt to any project and to the needs of various work groups, since they will be able to incorporate other tools according to the needs of the user.

• Flexible: It cannot be a platform that restricts work groups to one particular structure; neither can it be a platform that only allows you to work in one fixed way. The platform should allow you to organize the work according to the needs of the users, while applying improvements step by step, and best practices, in an environment that fosters contribution.

• Scalable: The platform should be capable of evolving with the time, according to technological advances.

Simón Bolívar Satellite/Venesat-1 Program

On October 29, 2008 Venezuelan launched its first satellite into orbit. Called “Simón Bolívar,” the satellite was launched from China. The Ministry of People’s Power for Science and Technology, Bolivarian Agency for Space Activities (ABAE) and the state telecommunications agency, CANTV, were responsible for the satellite’s operation and use.

The Simón Bolívar satellite was created as part of the VENESAT-1 project that began in 2004. In November 2005, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Popular Republic of China signed an agreement for the construction of the satellite. Among other reasons, the project was developed with China because they accepted an important condition for Venezuela — the transfer of technology. With this provision in place, Venezuelan technicians were trained to maintain the satellite, develop its software and manage its use. Venezuela now expects to be able to produce satellite technology in the future and to manage the launch of satellites from the Venezuelan soil.

On March 14, 2006 Venezuela and Uruguay signed an agreement allowing the satellite to use Uruguayan airspace and for Uruguay to use up to 10% of the satellite’s spectral operating capacity.

The Simón Bolívar satellite has an ambitious regional objective: to contribute to Latin American integration through the development of telecommunications services. In the national environment, its objective is to positively impact the implementation and development of policies and social programs, as well as projects in the areas of rural phone systems, tele-medicine, tele-education, security and defense.

The satellite and its use is composed of the following network of components:

• The Simón Bolívar satellite.

• Two earth-based control stations responsible for the operation of the satellite. The principal station is located in the State of Guarico, while the backup station is located in the State of Bolivar.

• A teleport responsible for the transportation capacities of the satellite and of the broadcast of the telecommunications services. It is located in the State of Guarico.

The construction of the satellite required the development of human capacity in space technology, which was facilitated through the cooperation agreement with China. Ninety Venezuelans professionals and technicians were involved in the following capacities: 30 university professionals that will receive doctoral degrees in China in diverse space-related areas linked to the production of satellite platforms and 60 professionals and technicians that will work on orbit and traffic control.