Advanced Television

Arabsat wants 4 more satellites

March 17, 2014

By Chris Forrester

Arabsat says it has issued important Requests for Proposals (RFPs) from the world’s major satellite builders for four additional satellites. Two will be for its newly-acquired HellasSat asset (currently designated HS3 and HS4) and two for its existing Arabsat fleet (AR6E and AR6A).

The new satellites will be allocated to three different orbital locations with a huge coverage over MENA and African, Asian and European markets with high power DTH payloads in Ku- and Ka-band spot beams capacity. Arabsat CEO Khalid Balkhyour said, “The RFP for Arabsat’s 6th generation satellites reflects the company’s views on the exciting growth opportunities ahead of us and our commitment to capitalise on these opportunities.”

Arabsat has set a tough timetable for the new birds, and wants the response from satellite builders by May 1st, and then for the satellites to be built and launched in the 2016-2017 timeframe.

Categories: Articles, DTH/Satellite