RCM [23/12/2007] RASCOM-QAF1: The first African satellite to empower the world of communications in Africa. The first telecommunications satellite entirely dedicated to the African continent and its islands, RASCOM-QAF1 was put into orbit this last 20 December at the great satisfaction of the African populations. It is in fact a historical event since it is the first launching on orbit of a satellite belonging to African countries. This satellite is the consequence of an unbreakable desire and a common will of the African States, joined together around RASCOM organization, to link their efforts and to cooperate in order to set up a Panafrican structure of telecommunications per satellite for Africa. RASCOM is a single example of the African co-operation successful in the field of the telecoms. And the whole Africa appreciates with its right value the efforts of the Libyan people and especially that of the Leader of the Revolution, the brother comrade Moammar Al Qathafi who did not spare any effort to carry out this project. We also will never forget the efforts of the African countries gathered around ADB, African of development for the success of this new event. System RASCOM (according to L'Observateur Paalga in Burkina-Faso published on last December 20) offers a vast range of services to the whole of the community of telecommunications, since the operators of the telecommunications networks (TELCOs), whether private or public, to the broadcasting companies of the audio and video programs. Created in 1992, the African regional Organization of satellite communication (RASCOM) has the role of conceiving, implementing, exploiting and maintaining the space sector of the Africa system of telecommunication per satellite and of translating into services and tools for African integration, all the possibilities offered by the satellites while associating, if necessary, any other suitable technology. Three great classes of services are offered:   The integrated telephony services. These specific services to RASCOM system help to carry out the universal access to the telephony, telefax, data transmission, access Internet, reception audio/video services. Through small satellite terminals network, the rural zones and urban periphery are seen finally equipped with the vital infrastructure offering to all and in a very low cost the access to the services of communication.     Low flow commutation Services. These services, allowing a direct interconnection to the request for exchanges at low or average flow between any point of the African continent and with Europe and the Middle-East, are particularly adapted to the routing of the inter-city traffic and the international connections with low density of traffic.   Services of hiring the transponders. These services, offered at very competitive costs of hiring, allow the establishment of the high flow arteries, the diffusion of the audio and video programs, the support of applications such as the telemedicine, the educational television, etc... The editorial staff.