Thuraya’s Third Satellite Targeted for Launch in 2007

UAE, Nov. 1, 2005/Satnews Daily/ — The UAE's Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company plans to launch its third satellite into orbit in 2007.

According to UAE news reports, the project is on but the company will float a tender for competitive bidding, Yousuf Al Sayed, chief executive of Thuraya, told the Gulf News.

He said construction of Thuraya 3 is on track and delivery might be a few months earlier than the scheduled June 2006 date. But he added the company doubts the commercial launch would take place in 2006 because Thuraya plans to issue a tender and get bids for the launch.

 

As early as June 2002, Thuraya has already contracted Boeing Satellite Systems to build Thuraya 3. It was also Boeing who constructed Thuraya 1 and 2. Thuraya-1, the first Boeing-built GEO-Mobile (GEM) model spacecraft, was launched by Sea Launch in Oct. 2000. Thuraya-2, also built by Boeing, was launched by Sea Launch on June 2003.

Thuraya-3 is expected to join Thuraya-2 at an orbital slot 44 degrees East.

Thuraya's dual-mode handheld phones integrate satellite, GSM and GPS as well as provide services that include voice, data, fax and short messaging. The Thuraya network offers mobile satellite telecommunications services to more than 100 countries and has a footprint, encompassing Europe, North and Central Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia.

Al Sayed said the reasons are there to go ahead and launch adding Thuraya has begun rolling out its PCOs (public call offices) in African markets and the company is on track to install 4,500 PCOs by this year-end. It currently has over 3,000 PCOs have been installed in various markets in Asia and Africa.

He told the Gulf News Thuraya has already installed more than 600 PCOs in Libya and the company is on track to reach 1,500 by this year-end. He said the demand and usage is high in Libya due to wide community use and shipments of about 500 units to Uganda will begin shortly and work is in progress to begin installations in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Recent Stories:

Telenor, Thuraya Ink Satellite Service Agreement

Thuraya to Launch Satellite Data Service “ThurayaDSL”

Thuraya Launches Maritime Service