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Abu Dhabi, UAE, 15 January 2008 – The third Geo-mobile satellite
of Thuraya Satellite Telecom Co. has successfully been launched
by Sea Launch today, allowing Thuraya to embark on major
expansion plans and provide its cutting-edge mobile satellite
services in the Asia-Pacific region in the first quarter of
2008. Lifting off at 11:49 GMT (15:49 p.m. UAE local time)
from the Odyssey Launch Platform at 154 degrees West Longitude,
the Zenit-3SL rocket placed the 5,173 kg (11,381 lb) Thuraya-3
satellite manufactured by Boeing into Geosynchronous Transfer
Orbit. Spacecraft separation occurred 99 minutes after liftoff,
at 1,388 miles above the Pacific Ocean, north of New Zealand. A
tracking station in Fillmore, California, acquired the first
signal from the spacecraft a few minutes later as planned. All
systems performed nominally throughout the flight.
In a press statement following the launch, Thuraya’s CEO Mr.
Yousuf Al Sayed says, “The launch of Thuraya-3 is a significant
milestone in the Company’s progress and growth, and in
reinforcing Thuraya’s status as dynamic, world leading,
multi-regional mobile satellite operator,”
He also said that Thuraya has had a long and impressive
history with Sea Launch. “We have launched three Geo-mobile
satellites so far, all by Sea Launch, and all have been very
successful,” said Al Sayed, adding that Thuraya is continuously
expanding, and Sea Launch has been instrumental in meeting
Thuraya’s growing requirements.
He also reiterated that the Company has already completed all
Ground network preparations for Thuraya-3, and signed commercial
partnerships with several promising partners in Asia-Pacific.
Hence all is set for commercial launch very early in 2008.
“Congratulations to Thuraya on the tremendous success of this
mission,” said Rob Peckham, president and general manager of Sea
Launch. “I also want to congratulate Boeing Satellite Systems
and thank the entire Sea Launch team and all the people around
the world who support us.
“We are proud to be supporting Thuraya’s expansion into the
Asia-Pacific market with the launch of Thuraya-3. We especially
appreciate Thuraya’s continued trust and confidence in our
launch services and we look forward to future opportunities to
support the growth of their business,” Peckham said.
Boeing built the Thuraya-3 spacecraft to provide a range of
mobile voice and data services over large geographic regions.
Thuraya, the world’s largest provider of handheld mobile
satellite services, is preparing to operate commercially in
Asia-Pacific markets as early as January 2008, when Thuraya-3 is
expected to become operational. With a designed lifetime of 12
years, the satellite will be positioned in Geosynchronous Orbit,
35,786 km (22,236 miles) above the Earth, at 98.5 degrees East
Longitude.
Thuraya, based in the United Arab Emirates, provides
cost-effective mobile satellite services in more than 110
countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Services
provided by Thuraya include mobile voice, broadband, maritime,
rural telephony, fleet management and other advanced
applications that enable people and businesses everywhere under
its coverage to enjoy constant access to communications and
information.
The Company has launched its third satellite on 15 January
this year, bringing countries of the Asia-Pacific region under
its footprint and extending its coverage to nearly two thirds of
the globe’s population.
Thuraya was founded in 1997 by a consortium of leading
national telecommunications operators and reputed investment
firms from the region.
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