Qatar is already drawing up plans for a second satellite by 2017 as the country counts down to the launch of its first spacecraft next week.
Nascent satellite operator Es’hailSat has agreed to buy spectrum from Saudi Arabia-based rival Arabsat to…
Qatar is already drawing up plans for a second satellite by 2017 as the country counts down to the launch of its first spacecraft next week.
Nascent satellite operator Es’hailSat has agreed to buy spectrum from Saudi Arabia-based rival Arabsat to occupy its 26E orbital slot with a new bird.
The slot had previously been a point of contention between the two groups, because it is near the 25.5E position that will soon host Qatar’s first satellite, Es’hail 1.
Es’hailSat, and its French joint venture partner Eutelsat, had been at odds with Arabsat over interference concerns caused by a broadcasting deal the Saudi Arabian company has with the Iranian government for 26E.
However, after international regulators declined to settle the dispute earlier this year, the companies reached a spectrum-sharing accord that clears the use of 25.E and 26E.
Es’hailSat’s purchase of 500MHz of Ku-band frequencies, which is also tied to a mutual in-orbit back-up agreement, is the next step in this cooperation deal.
Ali Ahmed Al Kuwari, Es’hailSat’s CEO, said: “We are delighted to be able to work with Arabsat on the development of the 26E prime TV broadcasting hot-spot.
“With our first satellite – Es’hail 1 – scheduled for launch on 29 August 2013 and our plans for Es’hail 2 now confirmed, we are moving closer to providing the necessary capacity to enable our customers to substantially increase their communications capability, particularly in broadcasting in HD and 3D.”
Despite being roughly half-owned by Eutelsat, which has in the past tended to opt for European satellite makers, Es’hail 1 was built by US-based Space Systems Loral. Also called Eutelsat-25B, the bird will be launched from French Guiana by France’s Arianespace.
Speaking to local journalists ahead of Es’hail 1’s launch, Al Kuwari said the company is moving ahead with plans for a second bird following strong demand for Es’hail 1, which secured the Doha-based Al Jazeera television network as an anchor customer.
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