Israel Aerospace Industries, local firm ink 195 mln USD satellite deal
JERUSALEM, Nov 13, 2012 (Xinhua via COMTEX) --
Israel Aerospace Industries
(IAI) on Tuesday announced it has signed a contract to supply a
local provider of satellite communications services the Amos-6
satellite in a deal worth some 195 million U.S. dollars, according
to a company statement.
IAI President and CEO Joseph Weiss, and David Pollak, CEO of
Spacecom Ltd., signed the deal Monday for the design, production,
launching and operation of Amos-6, which is slated to replace he
Amos-2 when it ends its service in 2016, the statement said.
Spacecom, headquartered in Ramat Gan and traded on the Tel Aviv
Stock Exchange, provides sat-link communications services to the
civilian market -- in the Middle East, European Union and North
America. Coverage has been expanded to fast-growing markets in
East Asia and Africa in recent years.
Established in 1993 with the defined goal of marketing IAI's
Amos-1, the company has continually upgraded its services with the
Amos-2 and 3 satellites, primarily direct-to-home broadcasting (
DTH), satellite Internet, broadband telephony and radio.
IAI said the Amos-6 satellite, scheduled for delivery by August
2015 and designed to serve for at least 16 years, packs
substantial enhancements that make it one of the most advanced of
its kind in the world, including electric propulsion technology
that enables reduced launch weight and costs.
The communication payload includes 45 transponders in three
frequency bands: Ku, Ka and S, which would enable Spacecom to
expand its services, including direct satellite home Internet
services.
In parallel, IAI said it plans to launch Amos-5 into orbit next
year.
"Winning the Amos-6 tender over international competitors is of
strategic importance to IAI and allows us to continue advancing
the line of communication satellites," said IAI CEO Weiss.
In a separate 20-million-dollar deal signed with the Israeli
government, Spacecom is committed to providing services via Amos-6
for the duration of the satellite's life.
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