Arabsat 1A

Saudi Arabia

Spacecraft n°:

Saudi Arabian satellite n°: 1

Launch data:

Designation 15560 / 85015A
Launch date 08 Feb 1985
Launch siteKo, ELA-1
Launch vehicleAriane-3 (V12)
MissionCommunications (C)
Geostationary orbit on:
Perigee / Apogee  km
Eccentricity 
Inclination  deg
Period  min
Location 19°E

In Sep 1991 the satellite started drifting East and was completly lost in Mar 1992.

Spacecraft data:

Prime contractor Aerospatiale, MBB
Platform  Spacebus-1000
Customer Arab Satellite Communication (Arabsat)
Mass at launch 1170 kg
Mass in orbit 800 (BOL) --> 600 kg
Dimension  1.5 m by 1.6 m by 2.3 m
Basic shape  box
Solar array  2 deployable solar arrays, span 21 m
Equipment 25 C-band transponders, 2 S-band transponders
DC power  1,4 kW
Design active lifetime  7 yrs

End of life

Out of service Mar 1992
Cause Out of control

Arabsat 1A was launched by Ariane on 8 February 1985 but immediately suffered a solar panel extension malfunction. Other failures quickly relegated the spacecraft to backup status until late 1991 when the satellite was abandoned.

Astrophilately covers:

Ariane-3 (V12)

New launch cancel Kourou, ESA cover. Credit: #411

 Ariane-3 (V12)

Launch cancel Kourou, ESA cover. Credit: #411

Ariane-3 (V12)

Headquarter cancel Paris. Credit: #411

Ref.: #14, #78a, #411 - update: 17.11.19 Home