A communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radio telecommunications signals via a transponder; it creates a communication channel between a source transmitter and a receiver at different locations on Earth. Communications satellites are used for television, telephone, radio, internet, and military applications. There are about 2,000 communications satellites in Earth's orbit, used by both private and government organizations. Many are in geostationary orbit 22,236 miles (35,785 km) above the equator, so that the satellite appears stationary at the same point in the sky, so the satellite dish antennas of ground stations can be aimed permanently at that spot and do not have to move to track it.
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum, in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting began with AM radio, which came into popular use around 1920 with the spread of vacuum tube radio transmitters and receivers. Before this, all forms of electronic communication were one-to-one, with the message intended for a single recipient. The term broadcasting evolved from its use as the agricultural method of sowing seeds in a field by casting them broadly about. It was later adopted for describing the widespread distribution of information by printed materials or by telegraph. Examples applying it to "one-to-many" radio transmissions of an individual station to multiple listeners appeared as early as 1898.
Digital radio is the use of digital technology to transmit or receive across the radio spectrum. Digital transmission by radio waves includes digital broadcasting, and especially digital audio radio services.
The Indian National Satellite System , or INSAT, is a series of multipurpose geostationary satellites launched by ISRO to satisfy the telecommunications, broadcasting, meteorology, and search and rescue operations. Commissioned in 1983, INSAT is the largest domestic communication system in the Indo-Pacific Region. It is a joint venture of the Department of Space, Department of Telecommunications, India Meteorological Department, All India Radio and Doordarshan. The overall coordination and management of INSAT system rests with the Secretary-level INSAT Coordination Committee.
European Organisation of Telecommunications by Satellite S.A. (EUTELSAT) is a European satellite operator. Providing coverage over the entire European continent, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas, it is the world's third largest satellite operator in terms of revenues.
The National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA), formerly the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television and the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, is a ministry-level executive agency directly under the State Council of the People's Republic of China. Its main task is the administration and supervision of state-owned enterprises engaged in the television and radio industries.
Amos is a series of Israeli communications satellites operated by Israel-based Spacecom. All Amos satellites were developed by Israel Aerospace Industries using the AMOS bus platform, except for Amos-5 which was developed by JSC Reshetnev using the Ekspress bus platform, and Amos 17 which was developed by Boeing on its 702 platform.
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-3.
Intelsat 24, previously Amos-1, is a commercial communication satellite which is operated by Intelsat. It was previously operated by Spacecom as Amos-1, 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. It has since been moved to 47.3 degrees East.
AMOS-2 is an Israeli commercial communication satellite, part of the AMOS series of satellites. The satellite was positioned at 4° W longitude in the geo-stationary orbit. it was launched at December 27, 2003 from Baikonur, Kazakhstan and it serves clients in three service regions: Middle East, Europe and eastern coast of United States. Transmission and communication services given by this satellite include: direct distribution of TV and radio translations, TV and radio translations to communication centers, distribution of internet services, data transmissions to communication networks.
Europe by Satellite (EbS) is the TV information service of the European Union which consist of 2 TV channels: EbS and EbS+. It is managed by the European Commission however it broadcasts images coming from all EU Institutions like the European Parliament, the European Council, the European Central Bank, the European Committee of the Regions, the European Court of Justice.
Türksat is the name of a series of Turkish communications satellites operated or projected by the state-owned Türksat A.Ş.
Television is the most popular medium in Russia, with 74% of the population watching national television channels routinely and 59% routinely watching regional channels. There are 3300 television channels in total. 3 channels have a nationwide outreach : Channel One, Russia-1 and NTV.
Shaul Elovitch is an Israeli businessman and the owner of Eurocom Group, one of the largest private holding groups in Israel.
Amos-6 was a 5.5-tonne Israeli Earth communications satellite, one of the Spacecom AMOS series, that was built by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), a defense and aerospace company.
Amos-5 was an Israeli commercial communication satellite, part of the AMOS series of satellites. It was developed and built for Spacecom by NPO PM, the largest Russian satellite producer, at a cost of $157 million. The satellite was positioned at the 17° East longitude in the geostationary belt. It was launched on 11 December 2011, 11:17 UTC from Baikonur, 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.
AsiaSat 8 or Amos-7 is a Hong Kong-turned-Israeli geostationary communications satellite which is operated by the Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company.
Es'hail 2 is a Qatari satellite, launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on November 15, 2018. Es'hail 2 was built by Japan's Mitsubishi Electric company, and will operate at 26° East longitude along a geostationary orbit to provide direct-to-home television services in the Middle East and North Africa region. The satellite will feature 24 Ku-band and 11 Ka-band transponders to provide direct broadcasting services for television, government and commercial content distribution. In addition to commercial services, the payload of Es'hail 2 includes a linear transponder with a bandwidth of 250 kHz and 8MHz for the amateur radio satellite service, with uplink on 2.4 GHz and downlink on 10.45 GHz.
Amos-17 is an Israeli commercial communication satellite, part of the AMOS series of satellites. It was launched on August 6, 2019, and is a Boeing type 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 was reportedly aimed to be located at 17° East longitude but, early November 2019, it was at 14° East where it has been since August 19.
