Arabsat 3A

Saudi Arabia

Spacecraft n°:

Saudi Arabian satellite n°: 6

Also called Arabsat 2BSS1 and Badr 3

Launch data:

Designation	25638 / 99009A
Launch date	26 Feb 1999
Launch site	Ko, ELA-2
Launch vehicle	Ariane-44L (V116)
Mission	Government: Communications
Geostationary orbit on:
Perigee / Apogee	35769 x 35801 km
Eccentricity	3.80E-04
Inclination	0.19 deg
Period	1436.94 min

Specifications

Prime contractor	Aerospatiale Matra SA (FR)
Platform	Spacebus-3000B
Operator	Arab Satellite Communications Org. (ASCO)
Mass at launch	2708 kg
Mass in orbit	1646 kg
Dry mass	1200 kg
Dimension	3.83 x 3.35 x 2.26 m at launch
Solar array	29 m
Stabilization	3-axis
DC power	6400 W
Design lifetime	15 years

Location:

Date	Position	Remarks
	26° E
Oct 2009	30.30° E

tested from 23.7° E

Telecommand: 17.302 V & 17.305 H GHz
Telemetry: 11.702 V & 11.705 H GHz

has a DASA S400 liquid apogee engine

Ku-band

Main transponders	20
Backup transponders	8
Power	(TWTA)
Bandwidth	34 MHz
Coverage
EIRP max	48.5 dBW
G/T max	0.2 dB/K
Polarization	linear H/V
Frequencies	Uplink: 17.3-18.1 GHz Downlink: 11.7-12.5 GHz

Transponder Frequency chart (GHz)

Horizontal Uplink	Horizontal Downlink	Channel	Vertical Downlink	Vertical Uplink
	11.72748	1		17.32748
17.34666		2	11.74666
	11.76584	3		17.36584
17.38502		4	11.78502
	11.80420	5		17.40420
17.42338		6	11.82338
	11.84256	7		17.44256
17.46174		8	11.86174
	11.88092	9		17.48092
17.50010		10	11.90010
	11.91928	11		17.51928
17.53848		12	11.93848
	11.95764	13		17.55764
17.57682		14	11.97682
	11.99600	15		17.5960
17.61518		16	12.01518
	12.03436	17		17.63436
17.65354		18	12.05354
	12.07272	19		17.67272
17.69190		20	12.09190

Third generation; broadcasting, internet; 20 Ku-band transponders

Ref.: #15, #78a, #226 - update: 03.01.10