Amos Spacecom, formally known as Space Communications Ltd, is an Israeli-based global fixed-satellite operator and satellite service provider. It operates the AMOS satellite fleet, providing broadcast and broadband services with coverage over Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Spacecom offers tailored communication solutions to media, telecommunications, and broadband industries, governments, and private networks. Key services include direct-to-home broadcasting, broadband internet access, and communication services, with major partners and customers including the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation and other clients in Angola, and Nigeria.
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Spacecom’s March 2019 decision to buy Amos-8 from a U.S. company instead of Israel Aerospace Industries sparked concern that Israel might lose its ability to produce telecommunications satellites domestically.
Spacecom ordered Amos-8 from Space Systems Loral as a replacement for the IAI-built Amos-6 satellite destroyed during a SpaceX Falcon 9 fueling mishap in September 2016.
The canceled $112,000,000 contract with Space Systems Loral called for SSL to build Amos-8 on a schedule intended to place the satellite in orbit in 27 months.
Spacecom is entitled to receive a return of funds paid to SpaceX for the Amos-8 launch, minus an agreed-upon amount that will remain with SpaceX.
Spacecom terminated contracts awarded earlier in 2019 to Space Systems Loral and SpaceX for the Amos-8 telecommunications satellite on 2019-09-25.
The Israeli government told Spacecom in late April 2019 that it intended to order a satellite from Israel Aerospace Industries and place it in the same geosynchronous orbit as most of Spacecom’s fleet.
On 2019-09-03 Israel’s Ministry of Science and Technology declared that Amos-8 will be built in Israel with government financial support.
In December 2016 Spacecom leased an orbiting satellite from AsiaSat to serve as a temporary replacement for Amos-6.
SSL won two of the six commercial GEO tenders 2018: BSAT-4b and Amos-8.
Israel’s Ministry of Science approved government financial support for Amos-8 and directed that Amos-8 be developed and built in Israel on 2018-09-03.
Space Systems Loral (SSL) announced in March that it had been chosen to build the BSAT-4b satellite for Japan-based BSAT and the Amos-8 satellite for Israel-based Spacecom.
One of SSL’s 2018 orders was not fully finalized after Spacecom delayed its downpayment on the $112,000,000 Amos-8 satellite following news that the Israeli government may procure a satellite from Israel Aerospace Industries to co-locate with Spacecom’s fleet at 4 degrees West.
SSL won the BSAT-4b and Amos-8 GEO satellite contracts for Japanese operator BSAT and Israeli operator Spacecom, respectively.
On 2018-05-21, Spacecom secured a contract worth up to $55,000,000 for satellite capacity on the Amos-17 satellite.
The Israeli government intends to operate a satellite at the same geostationary location as most of Spacecom's fleet.
Spacecom has 60 days from contract signing to cancel its $112,000,000 Amos-8 order without incurring fees.
Spacecom decided in late April to purchase a telecom satellite called Amos-8 from U.S. manufacturer Space Systems Loral.
Spacecom received a letter from the Israeli government stating that a group of agencies might procure a satellite from Israel Aerospace Industries and place it in geosynchronous orbit at 4 degrees west.