Positioned at 7° West, Nilesat-301 will work with Nilesat-201 to provide Ku-band services for the Middle East and North Africa.

Egyptian satellite operator Nilesat has partnered with SpaceX for the launch of Nilesat-301 geostationary communications satellite due in 2022. A contract was sealed between Nilesat and SpaceX in Cairo on Tuesday, the first cooperation between the two companies.

Last year, Thales Alenia Space signed a contract with Nilesat to build Nilesat-301, winning the contract against an international field of competitors.

The satellite is based on the Spacebus 4000-B2 platform and will weigh about four metric tons at launch. It offers a design life exceeding 15 years.

Nilesat-301 will help extend the companys provision of Ku-band communications and direct digital broadcasting services in two new large regions of Africa, while also providing broadband Ka-band connectivity over all of Egypt.