Spacecom, which operates the AMOS fleet of satellites from Israel, has today (April 30^th) notified the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange that the Israeli state is to buy a new communications satellite from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

The worrying news is that the notification says the new satellite will be positioned at 4 degrees West, which is an ‘Amos’ position, and where Spacecom has a planned satellite – Amos 8 – on order from Space Systems/Loral.

IAI was previously a regular supplier of satellites to Spacecom, but there has been concern in government circles that the procurement of a ‘foreign’ satellite could pose a problem. This has provoked strong debate in the Israel parliament.

Spacecom lost its Amos 6 satellite in a launch-pad explosion some 18 months ago.

Spacecom is also itself up for sale, and is a subsidiary of the financially troubled Eurocom group of companies. An Israeli Court has ordered that liquidation be commenced on May 3^rd.

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