Unfortunately I can't translate that because I don't know how to translate the technical terms (even though I am a technical person myself, I don't know the terms mentioned there, I assume because they are particular to satellite development), although it mentions a hardware component and the space "payload"
It may be propaganda, or at least an exercise in national pride, but it's not without substance. Developing high tech aerospace guidance systems without critical outside help demonstrates the ability to reach strategic technology goals independently, and therefore the ability to operate autonomously. National autonomy is, for some nations, a valuable goal.
It would be a huge feat to actually develop from scratch a reliable satellite of this scale domestically. Developing a satellite or satellites would be doable - there's a number of startups which have developed smaller satellites from scratch (although generally the people involved have experience working for the big western contractors) - but you'd need to start small and work up.
It is true that this appears to be mostly an assembly of other people's technology, but then that's true of almost every large scale system. Most aircraft makers only actually build the shell and assemble it all, the rest of the sub-systems coming from numerous suppliers.
In this case Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defence and Space (both European companies) appear to have provided most of the satellite systems, with the system engineering level design done by INVAP. I'm not sure where it was assembled - possibly also Argentina? It's worth noting that the Systems Engineering component is no easy feat, and if they have done it then they do deserve significant credit. Ultimately no company anywhere in the world is completely vertically integrated - there will always be suppliers.
What's the use in reinventing the wheel anyway? I doubt anyone could pull off a geosynchro satellite from ground up without hit and miss with a number of smaller satellites.
I'm thrilled about how it would empower a lot of people in Latin America. Better communication for Antartica is a bonus. I hope it sets an example for the rest of the nations there.
Well, it is pretty easy. I have one car that I assembled myself with the help of a mechanic.
You can buy cars in pieces from several UK companies. And I have to say it was easier than I thought it was going to be.
In fact, it was probably too easy. I am engineer and used to do things myself. Making my own OS with gentoo when you had to compile everything yourself was way harder and longer than assembling the car.
