Nilesat 201, is an Egyptian

communications satellite A communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radio telecommunication signals via a transponder; it creates a communication channel between a source transmitter and a receiver at different locations on Earth ...

, which was launched on 4 August 2010. Nilesat 201 will enable the Egyptian satellite operator

Nilesat Nilesat (; , ''or'' ) is an Egyptian company and the name of a series of Egyptian communications satellites. It was established in 1996 with the purpose of operating Egyptian satellites and their associated mission control center and ground st ...

to deliver digital Direct to Home (DTH) TV and radio broadcasting and high-speed data transmission services to North Africa and the Middle East starting in September 2010. Thales Alenia Space Press Release, Cannes, June 30, 2010 It was built by

Thales Alenia Space Thales Alenia Space () is a Franco-Italian aerospace manufacturer. A joint venture between the French technology corporation Thales Group (67%) and Italian defense conglomerate Leonardo (33%), the company is the largest satellite manufactur ...

in the

Cannes Mandelieu Space Center The Cannes Mandelieu Space Center is an industrial plant dedicated to spacecraft manufacturing, located in both the towns of Cannes and Mandelieu in France. After a long history in aircraft manufacturing, starting in 1929, the center became incre ...

, and is based on the Spacebus 4000B2

satellite bus A satellite bus (or spacecraft bus) is the main body and structural component of a satellite or spacecraft, in which the payload and all scientific instruments are held. Bus-derived satellites are opposed to specially produced satellites. Bus- ...

. It will be operated in geosynchronous orbit, at a longitude of 7° West. The spacecraft has a design life of 15 years and a mass at launch of 3.2 tonnes. It is powered by

solar array A photovoltaic system, also PV system or solar power system, is an electric power system designed to supply usable solar power by means of photovoltaics. It consists of an arrangement of several components, including solar panels to absorb and ...

s which will generate 5.9 kilowatts of electricity at the end of the spacecraft's design life. It will carry 40 transponders, of which 24 will be K_u band for broadcasting, and 4 will be K_a band. Nilesat 201 was launched by an Ariane 5ECA rocket at 20:59 UTC on 4 August 2010.

References

External links

Arianespace: Nilesat 201 - RASCOM launch kitNilesat 201 at International Media Switzerland
Telecommunications in Egypt Communications satellites in geostationary orbit Spacecraft launched in 2010 Satellites of Egypt 2010 in Egypt Ariane commercial payloads Satellites using the Spacebus bus {{communications-satellite-stub