Information AboutArabsat |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT ARAB SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS ORGANIZATION | |
| telecommunications companies | |
| companies of saudi arabia | |
| communications satellites | |
| arabsat | |
The Arab Satellite Communications Organization (often abbreviated as '''Arabsat''' or '''ASCO''') is a leading Communications Satellite operator in the Arab World , headquartered in the city of Riyadh , Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia . Arabsat owns and operates five satellites platforms at orbital positions 26° and 30.5° East. Arabsat was created to deliver satellite-based, public and private telecommunications services to the Arab States, in accordance with International Standards. With more than 20 member countries, the organization plays a vital role of enhancing communications in the Arab World . HISTORY The Arab Satellite Communication Organization (ARABSAT) was established on 1976 by the member states of the Arab League with a defined goal of serving in telecommunication, information, culture and education sectors. Arabsat has operated the Arabsat GEO telecommunications system since its first satellite launch in 1985. COVERAGE Arabsat's satellites provide coverage to more than 100 countries in the Middle East, Africa and the major parts of Europe. SATELLITE LAUNCH ''First Generation'' Arabsat 1 satellites are built by an international team led by Aerospatiale of France. It is a three-axis stabilized Spacebus 100 spacecraft with two deployable solar array wings, making it almost 68 ft (20.7 m) long and over 18 ft (5.5 m) wide when deployed in orbit. It weighs about 2,800 lb (1,270 kg) in its initial orbit, but some 1,490 lb (675 kg) of this is propellant. It has an onboard low-thrust motor that utilizes hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide, and transfers from an initial elliptical to geosynchronous orbit by firing this motor. The remaining propellant is then used for station-keeping or moving over the life of the satellite.
''Second Generation'' By the end of 1994, the Arabsat system had been reduced to only one satellite. A contract for two Arabsat satellites was signed with Aerospatiale in April 1993. Arabsat-2A based on a Spacebus 3000A platform, the first of two second generation satellites, was launched in 1996. Arabsat-2B followed shortly thereafter in an ongoing effort to maintain a multiple satellite network. ''Third Generation'' On November 7 , 1996 a contract was signed with Aerospatiale for the manufacturing of the first of the third-generation satellites, based on a Spacebus 3000B2 platform. BADR-3 was launched to the orbit of 26° East, the same orbit of Arabsat 2A, in 1999 as the first satellite of the third generation. ''Forth generation'' On 21 October 2003 , Arabsat held a contract signing ceremony for the manufacture and launch of the 4th generation of ARABSAT satellites. This would allow the launch of a new satellite named BADR-4 which will expand and optimize capacity for Direct-to-Home Broadcasting and other services. Arabsat 4A was lost due to a launcher failure. Spaceflight Now | Proton Launch Report | Proton rocket fails in Arab satellite launch [http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070222.html][http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070226.html] Arabsat 4B was launched on 8 November 2006 . Arabsat 4C has been ordered to replace the lost 4A. SERVICES
FLEET ''In orbit''
''Up coming''
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