Africa/Middle East

Dubai Sat 2 Launched as Part of Record-Breaking

Dnepr cluster mission launch. Photo: EIAST

LaunchThe Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology’s (EIAST) Dubai Sat 2 was successfully launched from the Yasny Launch Base in Russia. The Earth observation satellite was one of the 24 total payloads launched aboard the Russian Dnepr rocket provided by the Russian International Space Company (Kozmotras).
Dubai Sat 2 is equipped with an electrical propulsion system that allows the control of its altitude. It will provide space imagery of the entire world for environmental projects, urban planning and infrastructure.

Spacecom Secures Financing for Amos 6 Satellite

Building on the momentum from Amos 5, Spacecom has signed agreements with a consortium of banks and the Amos 6 satellite manufacturer for loans totaling just more than $293 million to finance the construction, launch, insurance and financing costs related to the Amos 6 satellite. The consortium is led by Export Development Canada (EDC), which will loan up to $140 million; Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im), which will loan up to $106 million; and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) with a loan up to $47 million. Amos 6 will be larger and more powerful than both the Amos 2 and Amos 3 satellites. Eutelsat has signed a deal with Télédiffusion d’Algérie (TDA) for capacity on the Eutelsat 7 West A satellite. The long-term contract for one 72 MHz transponder opens access for TDA to Eutelsat’s 7/8 degrees west video neighborhood, which broadcasts the largest line-up of television channels across the Arab world to homes equipped for DTH satellite reception.

The FTA platform launched by TDA will assemble Algeria’s existing public channels in addition to channels expected to be licensed within the framework of the country’s strategy to open its broadcasting landscape. The channels will be available to viewers across the Maghreb and North-West Africa.

O3b Signs Multi-Year Deal to Increase Broadband Connectivity in Somalia

Somtel, a telecommunications company based in Hargeisa, Somaliland has contracted a substantial amount of O3b Networks’ O3bTrunk capacity in Somalia as it seeks to serve growing consumer and corporate demand in its core markets. The O3b service is expected to formally launch in 2014 after the company’s new Thales Alenia Space-built satellite constellation is completely launched.

The O3bTrunk products promise to offer lower delay than long haul fiber with a round trip latency of less than 150 milliseconds. The company’s network is designed to deliver global broadband connectivity for emerging, unconnected markets in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific region, with a collective population of more than 3 billion people.

Internet Solutions Chooses Avanti for Capacity on Hylas 2 Satellite

Avanti’s Hylas 2 Satellite. Photo: Avanti

Avanti signed a multiyear contract with Internet Solutions, a division of Dimension Data, for more than 56Mb of managed capacity on its Hylas 2 satellite. Avanti’s fleet covers Africa, Europe and the Middle East, of which 83 percent of its capacity is used for telecommunications.

Internet Solutions is providing enterprise services designed to deliver high speed and high availability connectivity for business applications. This new capacity enhances its overall capability, which includes a global Tier 1 network and presence in numerous countries in East and West Africa.

Eutelsat Wins Algerian Capacity Deal

Eutelsat has signed a deal with Télédiffusion d’Algérie (TDA) for capacity on the Eutelsat 7 West A satellite. The long-term contract for one 72 MHz transponder opens access for TDA to Eutelsat’s 7/8 degrees west video neighborhood, which broadcasts the largest line-up of television channels across the Arab world to homes equipped for DTH satellite reception.
The FTA platform launched by TDA will assemble Algeria’s existing public channels in addition to channels expected to be licensed within the framework of the country’s strategy to open its broadcasting landscape. The channels will be available to viewers across the Maghreb and North-West Africa.