The target areas for AfricaStar and AsiaStar and the proposed AmeriStar L-band digital audio broadcasting satellites. As you can see, theoretically there's not much signal available for eastern Australia. But there is some...

WorldSpace Corporation was founded in 1990 by Noah A Samara and began with the vision of using direct audio broadcasting by satellite to stop the spread of AIDS in Africa. Now its vision is expanded somewhat, providing audio, data and multimedia services primarily to the emerging markets of (so far) Africa and Asia.

The WorldSpace system can be used as a powerful tool for spreading know-ledge, allowing users to become better educated, live a healthier lifestyle and to become more aware of the environment in which they live. To implement this vision, WorldSpace conceived and built the first-ever satellite radio infrastructure in the world.

In the past 12 years, the company has built three and launched two satellites.

The full system comprises geosynchronous satellites with coverage over Africa and the Middle East (AfriStar, launched in October 1998), Asia-Pacific (AsiaStar, launched in March 2000) and Latin America (AmeriStar, yet to be launched). The three-satellite constellation has a potential audience of 4.6 billion people.

The organisation has so far invested $US1.2 billion in the system.