LOC10:55
07:55 GMT
"UM AL-AISH" SATELLITE STATION, THE FIRST IN THE MIDDLE EAST
KUWAIT, OCT 28 (KUNA) -- IN 1969 KUWAIT WITNESSED A NEW MILESTONE IN THE
FIELD OF COMMUNICATIONS, AS THE FIRST GROUND SATELLITE STATION IN THE MIDDLE
EAST WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE AREA OF "UM AL-AISH" WHICH IS LOCATED 71
KILOMETERS NORTH OF KUWAIT CITY.
THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WORTH 1.7 MILLION
KUWAITI DINARS WITH THE JAPANESE COMPANY, NIPPON ELECTRIC, IN 1968, TO CARRY
OUT THIS PROJECT WHICH COINCIDED WITH THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE
FIELD OF COMMUNICATIONS.
THE STATION WORKED WITH THE INDIAN OCEAN SATELLITE (INTELSAT 4A) AT AN
ORBIT OF A LONGITUDE OF 62.5 EAST OF GREENWICH WHILE RECEIVING 18 HIGH
FREQUENCY CHANNELS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
THE STATION'S WORK HAS BEEN DEVELOPED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS TO PRECEDE WITH
THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE FIELD OF COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY.
THEREFORE CONCERNED BODIES IN THE MINISTRY FOUND IT NECESSARY TO REFORM GROUND
STATIONS. IN 1981 THE MINISTRY SIGNED ANOTHER AGREEMENT WITH NIPPON ELECTRIC
TO REFORM THE STATION.
ALTHOUGH THE STATION IS KNOWN FOR ITS HIGH QUALIFICATIONS, IT IS NOT
CAPABLE OF FORFILLING THE KUWAITI NEEDS, IN THE FIELD OF COMMUNICATIONS WITH
THE WESTERN COUNTRIES.
SINCE KUWAIT LAYS IN AN AREA INFLUENCED BY THE MEDITERRANEAN SATELLITE,
IN ADDITION TO ITS MEMBERSHIP WITH THE INTELSAT INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION, IT
ESTABLISHED A SECOND STATION IN NOVEMBER 21, 1977, RECEIVING FREQUENCY WAVES
FROM EUROPE, AFRICA AND THE AMERICAS.
THE "UM AL-AISH" STATION IS THE MOTHER STATION THAT JOINS SEVERAL GROUND
STATIONS, UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS, AND WAS ONE OF
THE FACILITIES THAT WAS GREATLY DAMAGED DURING THE IRAQI INVASION OF KUWAIT.
TWO STATIONS WERE TRANSFERED TO IRAQ, WHILE THE REST WAS CLEARED, AND ALL
EQUIPMENT WAS STOLEN, AND DOCUMENTS BURNED. (END)
LM.ASA
KUNA 281055 Oct 01NNNN