AMOS-8 (satellite)

AMOS-8 was a planned Israeli communications satellite, one of the Spacecom AMOS series, to be built by Maxar Technologies, a US defense and aerospace company, to replace AMOS-3 and AMOS-7

Terminology

AMOS stands for "Affordable Modular Optimized Satellite" and is also an allusion to the prophet Amos.

History

AMOS-8 was to include flexible high power Ku-band, Ka-band, and S-band payloads with steerable antennas to enable customers to deliver various added value services. Spacecom had originally selected in March 2018 SSL to build the satellite, for US$112 million, but in September 2018 it was announced, that the satellite would not be built by SSL,.
Eventually the project was cancelled by Spacecom Satellite Communications.
The Government of Israel decided to order a satellite named "Dror-1", this satellite will be built by the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries to preserve the satellite building capability, although at a much higher price.