Spacecom to Launch Amos-17 Digital Communication Satellite Next Week

With an expected lifespan of about 20 years, Amos-17 will primarily serve sub-Saharan Africa and connect to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East

Spacecom to Launch Amos-17 Digital Communication Satellite Next Week

Photo: Spacecom

Spacecom, operator of the Amos satellite fleet, today announced that Amos-17, its newest satellite, is scheduled to be launched on August 3, 2019 (late evening EST) from Cape Canaveral, FL, USA to the 17°East orbital position. From this orbital position, it will primarily serve sub-Saharan Africa and connect to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Planned and designed by Spacecom and constructed by Boeing Satellite Systems International, Amos-17 will be launched by a SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket. It has an expected lifespan of about 20 years.

Spacecom has a sales backlog of $58 million for communications services to the African market by Amos-17 and for other services and believes that following the satellite’s launch, more clients will sign future large deals. 

Amos-17 boosts Spacecom’s capabilities to support communication users with advanced Turn Key Solutions including, among others: designing communication networks, deploying ground station and broadcast facilities, long-distance facility management, and providing a full array of support services.

Amos-17 is said to be the only digital HTS (High Throughput Satellite) specifically designed to offer mobile operators and telecom service providers a distinct economically and operationally viable answer to meet African consumer needs. Spacecom explains that since Africa’s growing population includes many rural and outlying residents (low-density population areas), the economic justification for investing in ground telecom infrastructure projects by operators is greatly reduced. However, by utilizing Amos-17’s advanced digital technologies, service providers will be able to offer an expansive array of services quickly, highly efficiently and at low cost to these populations, the company says.

Amos-17’s design and embedded technologies coupled with its orbital position over Africa will enable the satellite to cover an entire country by a single beam to provide high capacity and highest service levels quickly, efficiently and at low cost, the company adds. This includes high availability services for governments and telecom operators, broadcasting content to millions of viewers, broadband data services via smaller terminals and utilizing a combination of Ka-, Ku-, and C-Band frequencies as needed by each client, and more.

“Spacecom has long been the pioneering leader in providing international satellite communication services in Israel and worldwide,” said Spacecom President and CEO David Pollack. “Amos-17’s launch is a meaningful and strategic milestone that boosts Israel’s continued presence in space and our corporate growth. Amos-17 is a project with forward-looking technologies and provides a significant boost for our satellite fleet’s capacity, operational flexibility, expansion to more regions and technological superiority. Providing unique Turn Key Solutions for a range of uses will provide our customers with key competitive advantages and expand our partners and Spacecom’s corporate opportunities in the years to come.”

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Photo: Spacecom

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