Spacecom has confirmed SpaceX as the launch partner for the new AMPS-6 communications satellite.
The craft is scheduled for a Falcon 9 launch vehicle in mid-2015 and will replace AMOS-2 at the 4 degrees West orbital slit.
It is anticipated that AMOS-6 will expand coverage into Western Europe and parts of Africa, supplementing the existing coverage in Central and Eastern Europe and Middle East coverage. The new 9KW satellite will offer 39 Ku-band segments and 24 Ka-band broadband beams to provide a wide array of services. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is responsible for planning, manufacturing, preparing for launch and providing ground control operations for AMOS-6.
“We are excited to partner with SpaceX and its tremendous team. AMOS-6 will be larger and stronger than AMOS-2 and AMOS-3 combined, and signals a new age for Spacecom,” commented David Pollack, president and CEO of Spacecom. “As we establish our position as a global satellite operator providing more services and capacity, AMOS-6 will be a key element of our business strategy and future.”
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is a medium-to-heavy lift, two-stage launch vehicle capable of lifting approximately 11 tons to low Earth orbit (LEO) and in excess of 4.5 tons to GTO. Designed to the highest levels of reliability and performance, Falcon 9, along with SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, was selected by NASA to resupply the International Space Station starting in 2010.
