Gunter’s Space Page has reported that the Es’hail 2 communications satellite will carry analog and digital Amateur Radio transponders. The new satellite, which will be operated by Es’hailSat, the Qatar Satellite Company, will be in a geostationary orbit, positioned at the 26° East “hotspot” position for TV broadcasting to the Middle East and North Africa. Launch is planned for late 2016.

Es’hail 2 will provide the first Amateur Radio geostationary communication capability linking Brazil and India. It will carry two AMSAT-DL-designed Phase 4 Amateur Radio transponders, consisting of one 250 kHz linear analog transponder and an experimental digital modulation transponder with an 8 MHz bandwidth. Uplinks will be in the 2.400-2.450 GHz range, and downlinks in the 10.450-10.500 GHz Amateur-Satellite Service allocations. Both transponders will be equipped with antennas capable of providing full coverage over about one-third of Earth’s surface.

The Qatar Amateur Radio Society and Qatar Satellite Company are cooperating on the Amateur Radio project. AMSAT-DL is providing technical support. — Thanks to Gunter’s Space Page via AMSAT News Service