AMOS (satellite)

Last updated

AMOS
AMOS-5 Satellite.jpg
Model of Israeli AMOS-5 satellite during "Semana de Espacio", in IFEMA, Madrid.
Manufacturer Israel Aerospace Industries, ISS Reshetnev (AMOS-5)
Country of origin Israel
Operator Spacecom
ApplicationsCommunications
Specifications
Bus AMOS bus
Ekspress bus (AMOS-5)
Boeing 702 bus (AMOS-17)
RegimeGeostationary
Production
StatusActive
Built7 known
Launched5
Operational3
Failed1
Lost1
Maiden launchAMOS-1 - 16 May 1996
Last launchAMOS-17 - 6 August 2019

AMOS ("Affordable Modular Optimized Satellite") is a series of Israeli communications satellites operated by Israel-based Spacecom. All AMOS satellites were developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) using the AMOS bus satellite bus, except for AMOS-5 which was developed by ISS Reshetnev using the Ekspress bus satellite bus, and AMOS-17 which was developed by Boeing on its BSS-702. [1]

Contents

Function

The six AMOS satellites used five different launch vehicles: Soyuz, Zenit, Proton, Ariane and Falcon 9; and three different launch sites: Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Centre Spatial Guyanais in French Guiana, and Cape Canaveral in Florida.

The constellation serves a variety of purposes, including direct-to-home broadcasting, broadband internet access, and communication services for governments and businesses. The satellites are strategically positioned to provide coverage to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The AMOS satellites are built to withstand harsh space environments and have an average lifespan of around 15 years. [2]

Other uses

In addition to its commercial services, the AMOS satellite constellation has also been used for scientific research and military purposes. For example, the AMOS-2 satellite was used to study the effects of space weather on communications systems, while the AMOS-3 satellite has been used to provide secure communication services to the Israeli military. [3]

In addition, it has also been used for military and intelligence operations. The AMOS constellation has also been used for disaster relief efforts, providing emergency communication capabilities in areas affected by natural disasters. [3]

Awards

The AMOS satellite constellation has received recognition for its contributions to the satellite communication industry, receiving awards such as the “Satellite Executive of the Year Award” in 2014.

Amos-6 Failure

The AMOS-6 satellite was built by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and contracted to Spacecom, a leading provider of satellite communication services in Israel. The satellite was intended to be launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and operate in the geostationary orbit for at least 15 years. It was equipped with advanced technologies, including high-throughput Ka-band and Ku-band transponders, steerable spot beams, and electric propulsion, among others. The satellite was also leased by Facebook, which planned to use it to expand its internet access initiatives in Africa under the name of "Internet.org." [4] [5]

On September 1, 2016, at around 9:00 AM local time, the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the AMOS-6 satellite exploded on the launchpad during a static fire test. The explosion caused extensive damage to the launchpad and surrounding infrastructure, as well as the loss of the payload. The incident was captured on camera and widely circulated on social media, sparking concerns about the safety of space launches and the reliability of private space companies. Following the incident, SpaceX launched an investigation into the cause of the failure and suspended all its launch operations for several months. Spacecom, on the other hand, suffered a significant financial loss due to the destruction of the satellite, which was estimated to be worth around $200 million. [6] [7] [8]

The incident raised questions about the reliability and safety of commercial space launches and the need for more rigorous testing and oversight. It also highlighted the importance of satellite communication for global connectivity and economic development, especially in underserved regions. Since the failure of Amos-6, as of mid-October 2023, SpaceX has completed 235 consecutive successful orbital missions.

Satellites

  1. AMOS-1 was the first Israeli communications satellite. Its development was based on experience from Ofeq reconnaissance satellites in association with DASA and Alcatel. It was launched on 16 May 1996, from Centre Spatial Guyanais (European Space Centre) in French Guiana. It was in use for home television services (DTH/DBS by the Yes company in Israel and by HBO and others in Europe). Space Communications LTD (Spacecom) quickly succeeded in filling all transmission capacity of AMOS-1 and accumulated additional requests. Therefore, it decided to broaden its activity and initiated AMOS-2 creation which is operational today (see below). In 2009, AMOS-1 was sold to Intelsat, and became Intelsat 24. [9]
  2. AMOS-2 was launched on 28 December 2003, from Baikonur Cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan and it serves clients in three service regions: Middle East (including Israel), Europe and the East Coast of the United States. Transmission and communication services provided by this satellite include: direct distribution of television and radio translations; television and radio translations to communication centers; distribution of internet services, data transmissions to communication networks. AMOS-1 and AMOS-2 were placed in proximity to create a common location, which enables satellite users to increase user abilities without additional antennas. After AMOS-3 replaced AMOS-1, AMOS-2 and AMOS-3 are placed in proximity.
  3. AMOS-3 was launched on 28 April 2008. [10] It achieved the planned orbit successfully. The US$170 million satellite is designed to offer increased capacity, expanded coverage and improved links between the Middle East and Europe and the Eastern United States. It is to remain in space 18 years. AMOS-3 replaced the AMOS-1 satellite. The satellite is located at 4° West on the equator, the same as AMOS-2 satellite.
  1. AMOS-4 is a larger platform (3500 kg) than previous Amos generations and was launched on 31 August 2013, from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. [11] It is placed in geostationary orbit at 65° East longitude. It offers coverage across Southeast Asia along with high power coverage beams offering communication links from East Asia to the Middle East. [12]
  2. AMOS-5 was launched on 11 December 2011 [13] and provided coverage over the continent of Africa, as well as Europe and the Middle East. The satellite was located at 17° East longitude. Unlike previous AMOS satellites, it was developed by the Russian company Reshetnev rather than IAI. Contact with the satellite was lost on 21 November 2015.
  3. AMOS-6 was expected to be launched by mid-2016 to replace AMOS-2. [14] The 5500 kg satellite was built by Israel Aerospace Industries. It was destroyed on the pad on 1 September 2016, by an explosion at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station SLC-40. [15]
  4. AMOS-7 (AsiaSat 8) was launched on 5 August 2014 by SpaceX.
  5. AMOS-8 was commissioned by the Government of Israel in September 2018. [16]
  6. AMOS-17 launched on 6 August 2019, and is a Boeing type BSS 702MP satellite transmitting in the Ka-, Ku-, and C-bands. It is a replacement for AMOS-5 and provides coverage over the continent of Africa, as well as Europe and the Middle East. The satellite is located at 17° East longitude. [17] [18] [19]

Related Research Articles

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Ofeq, also spelled Offek or Ofek is the designation of a series of Israeli reconnaissance satellites first launched in 1988. Most Ofeq satellites have been carried on top of Shavit 2 launch vehicles from Palmachim Airbase in Israel, on the Mediterranean coast. The low Earth orbit satellites complete one Earth orbit every 90 minutes.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Land Launch</span>

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AsiaSat 2 was a Hong Kong communications satellite, which was owned, and was initially operated, by the Hong Kong based Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company. It was positioned in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 17° East of the Greenwich Meridian, on lease to Spacecom. It spent most of its operational life at 100.5° East, from where it was used to provide fixed satellite services, including broadcasting, audio and data transmission, to Asia and the Pacific Ocean.

Spacecom, or Space Communication, is an Israeli communications satellite operator in the Middle East, European Union and North America headquartered in the city of Ramat Gan, Israel. Spacecom operates two satellites at orbital position 4° West – AMOS-3 and AMOS-7, one satellite at orbital position 65° East – AMOS-4, and one satellite at orbital position 17° East – AMOS-5.

AMOS-1, then INTELSAT 24, is a commercial communications satellite which was operated by Spacecom as AMOS-1, for Affordable Modular Optimized Satellite and formed part of the AMOS series of satellites. It was the first Israeli civilian communications satellite, and was initially positioned at 4° West longitude in geostationary orbit. Then in September 2011, it was moved to 31° East.

AMOS-2 is an Israeli commercial second generation communication satellite, part of the AMOS series of satellites. The satellite was positioned at 4° West longitude in the geostationary orbit. Transmission and communication services given by this satellite include: direct distribution of television and radio translations to communication centers, distribution of internet services, data transmissions to communication networks. The new satellite, like its predecessor, will be positioned 36,000 kilometers above the Earth, and it will lie close to AMOS-1, so that the two can share a single space antenna.

Intelsat 8 is a communications satellite owned by Intelsat located at 166° East of longitude, serving the Pacific Ocean market.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intelsat 901</span> Communications satellite

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">AMOS-6 (satellite)</span> AMOS communications satellite destroyed during a launch test

AMOS-6 was an Israeli communications satellite, one of the Spacecom AMOS series, that was built by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), a defense and aerospace company.

AMOS-4 is an Israeli commercial communications satellite, operated by Spacecom Satellite Communications, Tel Aviv-based, part of the AMOS series of satellites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AMOS-5 (satellite)</span> AMOS communications satellite

Amos-5 was an Israeli commercial communications satellite, part of the AMOS series of satellites. It was developed and built for Spacecom by Information Satellite Systems Reshetnev, the largest Russian satellite producer, at a cost of US$157 million. The satellite was positioned at the 17° East longitude in the geostationary orbit. It was launched on 11 December 2011, 11:17:00 UTC from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, atop a Proton-M / Briz-M launch vehicle. It provided coverage over the continent of Africa, as well as Europe and the Middle East.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AsiaSat 8</span> Asiasat communication satellite

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The AMOS, an acronym for Affordable Modular Optimized Satellite, is a family of light weight satellite bus for geostationary orbit communications satellite designed and manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) of Israel.

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AMOS-17 is an Israeli commercial communications satellite, part of the AMOS series of satellites.

AMOS-8 was a planned Israeli communications satellite, one of the Spacecom AMOS series, to be built by Maxar Technologies, a US defense and aerospace company, to replace AMOS-3 and AMOS-7

References

  1. ↑ "Spacecom – Global Communication Service Provider – Spacecom" . Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  2. ↑ "SatMagazine". www.satmagazine.com. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  3. 1 2 Zilkova, Danica (5 April 2023). "Applications of AMOS meteor all-sky detection system for space debris research" (PDF). hou.ursa.edu. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  4. ↑ Peter B. de Selding (9 October 2015). "Facebook-Eutelsat Internet Deal Leaves Industry Awaiting Encore". Space News . Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  5. ↑ Peter B. de Selding (6 October 2015). "Facebook, Eutelsat To Pay Spacecom $95M for Ka-band Lease". Space News . Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  6. ↑ "SpaceX explains cause of Amos-6 explosion". digitaltveurope.com. 3 January 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  7. ↑ "SpaceX cites technical failure in AMOS-6 launch blast". spacewatch.global. January 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  8. ↑ "SpaceX completes Falcon 9 Failure Investigation, Missions to resume Sunday from Vandenberg". spaceflight101.com. 2 January 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  9. ↑ Krebs, Gunter. "AMOS 1 → Intelsat 24". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
  10. ↑ Azoulay, Yuval (27 April 2008). "After delay, Amos 3 satellite to launch into orbit on Monday". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 2 May 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2008.
  11. ↑ "Amos 4 satellite launched into space". ynetnews. 31 August 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  12. ↑ "Satellite Coverage Maps | AMOS-4 | 65° E". Spacecom. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  13. ↑ Magnezi, Aviel (11 December 2011). "Amos 5 satellite launched into space". ynetnews. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  14. ↑ O'Sullivan, Arieh (9 July 2012). "Israel's domestic satellite industry saved". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 22 August 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  15. ↑ Malik, Tariq (1 September 2016). "Launchpad Explosion Destroys SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket, Satellite in Florida". SPACE.com. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  16. ↑ Lappin, Yaakov (6 September 2018). "Israel orders AMOS-8 satellite" . Jane's Information Group. Retrieved 3 August 2019. The Israeli government announced on 3 September that it has commissioned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to build the Amos-8 communications satellite, two years after the Amos-6 satellite was destroyed during a SpaceX rocket malfunction.
  17. ↑ Henry, Caleb (18 October 2017). "Spacecom returns to SpaceX for one, possibly two launches". SpaceNews. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  18. ↑ "AMOS-17 MISSION" (PDF). spacex.com. August 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 November 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  19. ↑ "AMOS-17 MISSION". youtube.com. SpaceX. 6 August 2019. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
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