Amos 3 ordered

Analoguesat

Israeli company signs $170-million deal with IAI for a third communications satellite.
September 20, 2005

Spacecom Satellite Communications has signed an agreement with Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) to buy its third satellite from the Israeli defense contractor, IAI said Tuesday.

IAI will start construction of the communications satellite immediately and launch the Amos-3 in December 2007. The cost of the new satellite is $170 million.

“Amos-3 will replace the older Amos-1 and will serve our growing list of customers,” said David Pollack, chief executive of Tel Aviv-based Spacecom.

He added that the Amos-3 would be a far more sophisticated satellite than its predecessors and offer far greater capacity. The Amos-1 has been in service since 1996. Spacecom’s second satellite launched in 2003.

Satellite Financing

Spacecom said it would finance the new satellite through a public offering on the Tel Aviv stock market. The majority shareholders in the company are Eurocom Holdings, C. Mer Industries, M.M. Satellites and Communications, and IAI.

IAI said it would develop and build the Amos-3 with advanced, innovative technologies. The new satellite will be based on the structure of the Amos-2, with improved performance of its communications payload.

The new satellite will include 15 high-capacity transponders in two frequency fields delivered by two antennae, both of which will have ground-controlled broadcasting capability. The Amos-3 will cover the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and parts of the Americas.


Alcatel’s Alenia Space subsidiary and Italy’s Telespazio Holdings will build the communications payload of the Amos-3.


The company said it anticipates $40 million in annual revenues if the entire broadcasting capacity is sold. Spacecom has already received a commitment from the state of Israel to lease channels on the Amos-3.

The value of the contract is put at $60 million during the expected 11-year life of the satellite.