Israeli company successfully launches Amos 4 satellite

Satellite joins Spacecom's Amos 2, Amos 3 and Amos 5; to provide services for Russia and the Middle East.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Amos 4 satellite (photo credit: Israel Aerospace Industries)
Amos 4 satellite
(photo credit: Israel Aerospace Industries)
Israeli communications company Spacecom has successfully launched a state of the art satellite to space on Saturday night from the Zenit launching pad in Baikonur, Kazakhstan.
Amos 4, that was built by Israel Aerospace Industries, was launched at 11:05 p.m. Israel time. The launch is scheduled to end at the early hours of Sunday when the satellite disconnects from the final part of its launcher.
Amos 4 will take two weeks to reach its designated orbital position 67.25°E at an altitude of 36,000 kilometers.
The satellite will remain at that orbital position for several months and in orbit tests will be performed on its systems.
Following these tests the satellite will move to orbital position 65°E where it will provide a full range of satellite services for Russia, the Middle East and additional service areas.
The satellite will provide services such as Direct-to-Home, video distribution, VSAT communications and broadband internet, according to Spacecom's website.
Science and Technology Minister Ya'akov Peri, who watched the satellite's launch from a secure location in Israel, expressed pride at the launch and stressed that space and cyber are "critical issues for the security of Israel."
"The Israeli space agency is expending its activity substantially, and the launching of this satellite is another landmark in the course the state of Israel has set out on - entering the top five leading countries in the field," he said. "This is a true Israeli pride that proves to us, once more, that for Israeli technology - the sky is no longer the limit."
Amos 4 joins Spacecom's Amos 2, Amos 3 and Amos 5 satellites. Amos 6 is scheduled for a 2014 launch.