WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- U.S. private space company SpaceX on Tuesday launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying an Israeli-owned satellite to provide communication services for Africa.
The rocket, carrying the AMOS-17 Satellite, blasted off at 7:23 p.m. Eastern Time (1123 GMT) from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
The satellite was deployed approximately 32 minutes after the liftoff, according to SpaceX's live broadcast.
The AMOS-17 satellite, designed by Israeli company Spacecom using Boeing's advanced digital payload technology, is poised to support growth in a variety of broadcast, broadband, mobility and data services throughout the African continent, according to SpaceX.
It will be deployed to an orbital position right over central Africa, to optimize service in the region.
AMOS-17 will operate in the C, Ku and Ka bands with a "digital channelizer" to provide fixed high throughput C-band coverage to Africa, steerable fixed high throughput Ka-band coverage to anywhere from China to Brazil, and extensive Ku-band coverage throughout Africa with additional coverage in Europe, the Middle East, China, and India, according to SpaceX.
AMOS-17 is planned to be in operation for a minimum of 20 years.
