Mubarak to give go-ahead to Nilesat 102 operation
Egypt, Economics, 9/12/2000

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak will give the go-ahead to operating the Nilesat 102, Egypt's second satellite, within hours.

The new satellite was placed into orbit after launch from the equatorial French Guiana, Latin America, on August 17.

President Mubarak will link the new digital satellite with television channels and internet services at the ground satellite station in Hammam area in the Egyptian Northern Coast, which alternately works with the main ground satellite station in sixth of October city in operating, monitoring, and controlling the two Egyptian satellite 101 and 102.

Information Minister Safwat Al-Sherif told reporters that the President's go-ahead signal to the Nilesat 102 will be a historic moment.

"With the launch of Nilesat 102 early in the 21st century, Egypt, under Mubarak, established itself firmly at the world space club as both owner and operator of sophisticated digital satellites," Al-Sherif said.

"Egypt now ranks the first Arab, African, and Middle Eastern country in this domain," Sherif added.

He said that Egypt's ground stations are set up according to the state-of-the-art technology and, thanks to their high-quality, they direct, monitor, and control satellites of other countries.

Nilesat 102 is planned to enhance Egypt's capabilities in keeping pace with the era of Information Technology (IT) and internet provision. Nilesat 102 life span is 16 years.

"Its blastoff comes two years after Egypt launched its maiden satellite Nilesat 101", he said, adding that Egypt ranks now as the world's 60th country in launching satellites.

Answering a question about Egypt's ownership of two satellites, Al-Sherif said that after the successful marketing and leasing of Nilesat 101 channels, there was a dire need to take the decision to make a new industrial satellite to give Egypt access to more channels to cover the growing demands of satellite channels' owners to beam their services through Egyptian satellites.

"Also, the second satellite was necessary to cope with the new IT, internet, interactive services, remote education, and bourse and media services," he pointed out.

The Minister indicated that Nilesat 102 covers every spot in the country as well as large parts of the Arab world, the Middle East, North and central Africa and Southern Europe.

"The project is the only means to reach out the Egyptians enjoying dual nationalities and living outside Egypt," Al-Sherif said.

Sherif called on the Egyptian scientists and researchers to explore the era of manufacturing satellites.

Previous Stories:
  $38 million to rent channels of Nilesat 102 annually   (3/24/2000)
  Egyptian - French media cooperation, fostered   (3/22/2000)
  $175 million loan to finance second Egyptian satellite   (3/13/2000)

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