The AMOS 3 (AMOS-60) at 4° West was ordered at IAI in 2005.  AMOS-3 will replace the older AMOS-1 and will be a far more sophisticated satellite than its predecessors and offer far greater capacity. The AMOS-1 has been in service since 1996. The satellite was renamed AMOS 60 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the state Israel.

AMOS 3 satellite will have advanced, innovative technologies. The new satellite is based on the structure of the AMOS 2, with improved performance of its communications payload and has 15 high-capacity transponders in the Ku- and Ka-band delivered by two antennas, both of which will have ground-controlled broadcasting capability. The AMOS 3 will cover the Middle-East, Europe, Africa, and parts of the Americas. Spacecom has already received a commitment from the state of Israel to lease channels on the AMOS-3. Thales Alenia Space and Italy’s Telespazio Holdings built the communications payload of the satellite.

AMOS 3 (AMOS-60) at 4° West was successfully launched on April 28th, 2008 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch site in Kazakhstan on a Zenit-3SLB launcher, the first launch contracted by the Land Launch organisation (SiS), a joint venture with Sea Launch launch operator.