The successful launch of two Arabsat fifth generation multi-mission satellites (5A and 5B) last month by Arianespace from the island of French Guyana is expected to increase profits of Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat) by 20 percent or SR800 million annually, said Nabil Shanti, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) for Sales and Marketing. Shanti was speaking to reporters at a ceremony Monday in Riyadh to celebrate the successful launch of the two 5A satellites into Arabsat exclusive orbit 30.5° East. It has been a great achievement for Arabsat since the C-Band on 5A has already been sold out, mostly to the telecommunication clients in the region and beyond, he said. “In 2009 Arabsat has posted a profit of 20 percent and that's expected to continue in 2010 with the successful launch of the two 5A and 5B multi-mission satellites,” said Shanti. Addressing a select gathering of invited guests, Khalid Balkheyour, Arabsat President and CEO, announced that a fifth generation 5C satellite under development will be launched in late 2011. He said Arabsat has also appointed the consortium of Astrium and Thales Alenia Space to build yet another Arabsat satellite planned for a 2012 launch, a year after the launch of Arabsat 5C. “The new satellite, the first of Arabsat's 6th Generation satellite and to be named Badr-7 will join Arabsat's constellation of direct to-home Badr satellites,” he said. “Arabsat 5C will share the same platform as its first two cousins in the fifth generation series which were designed as Eurostar E3000 models. It will provide expanded capacity with 26 active C-band and 12 Ka-band transponders, and comes with a service lifespan in excess of 15 years,” he added. Balkheyour said Arabsat-5A multi-mission satellite will provide additional capacity at 30.5? East for a large range of satellite communications services such as television backhauling and broadcasting, telephony, business communications, Internet trunking and the provision of VSAT and other interactive services, over the whole continent of Africa, Central Asia and Middle East (MENA) region. Founded in 1976 by the 21 member-states of the Arab League, Arabsat has been serving the growing needs of the Arab world for over 30 years, said Shanti. Saudi Arabia is the largest contributor of Arabsat with 36.66 percent. This is followed by Kuwait (14.59 percent), Libya (11.28 percent), Qatar (9.81 percent) and the UAE (4.66 percent). Together, these five largest contributors account for 77 percent of Arabsat, he said.
