The industry news service Space News reports that the government of Afghanistan and European satellite operator Eutelsat have come to a multi-year agreement for the Eutlesat 28B (aka W3B) communications satellite to be moved from 28.5E to 48E in the Geostationary Earth Orbit arc to provide services for Afghanistan. The spacecraft is to be renamed Afghansat 1.
Comment by David Todd: In aviation terms, the deal is effectively a “wet lease” in which control of the spacecraft remains with Eutelsat.