Contact lost with the Amos-5 communication satellite

Spacecom Satellite Communications Ltd. lost contact with its Russian-built satellite Amos 5 on Saturday, at 06:45 Israel time, according to the company’s notification to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, causing a hiatus in the company’s customer service capabilities, particularly in African countries. The satellite was launched in December 2011.

“Spacecom is working around the clock, doing the utmost to speed service recovery for its customers”.

According to Space News, the company has said as of 23 November that it is tracking the satellite’s orbit but has been unable to contact it with “no information on the nature of the incident” and a genuine possibility that it could be silenced forever. The satellite itself is reportedly insured, but it is not known whether the policy covers “loss of profits” in the event of a failure.

Loss of contact with Amos 5 means the loss of about a third of Spacecom’s revenue.

Spacecom is controlled by Israeli holding company Eurocom Group, Reuters reports.

Spacecom, under the leadership of Shaul Elovitch, has a market cap of NIS 1.1 billion on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

Spacecom signed a $1 billion contract with Facebook for the Amos 6 satellite, due to be launched in February. On its website, Satelio said it is now desperately looking for another satellite to take over its services. Amos-5 was the only satellite in the series not built in Israel, industry officials said.

Amos 5, had an annual revenue of about $40 million with value of between $160 million and $190 million.

Amos-5 suffered a power anomaly in October 2013 but Spacecom said Reshetnev had been able route a backup power source to the affected on-board thrusters and that Amos-5 was expected to operate for its full 15-year service life.

Amos 5 C-band coverage map. However, it is designed for a different mission and will be placed at the company’s 4 degrees West position.