Primary Gateway

The Primary Gateway, situated in Sharjah, UAE, is responsible for Thuraya’s entire network, in addition to serving as the mobile satellite system’s main digital exchange. The Primary Gateway houses the Satellite Operation Centre, which monitors and controls satellite movement, ensuring the overall and ongoing maintenance of satellites in geo-synchronous orbit.

The striking glass structure comprises the satellite control facilities and the Gateway Station. The satellite control facilities includes the Satellite Operations Center, Uplink Beacon Station and the Satellite Payload Central Point, while the Gateway Station includes the gateway station subsystem, network switching subsystem and the advanced operations center and operations support subsystem. Outside the Primary Gateway building are the primary dish (c-band antennae) and the back up dish whose function is to command the satellite.

Billed as the only such facility in the Middle East region, Thuraya’s Primary Gateway station provides the necessary interface with other Thuraya Gateways (via satellite) and public terrestrial networks.