Arabsat-5A
Encyclopedia
Arabsat-5A is a Saudi Arabia
n communications satellite
operated by Arabsat
. It will be used to provide television, internet and telephone services to Arabia, Africa
and Europe
.
Arabsat-5A was constructed by Astrium, and is based around the Eurostar-3000 satellite bus
. It has a mass of 4800 kilograms (10,582.2 lb), and carries forty transponders; sixteen broadcasting in the G
/H band
of the NATO-defined spectrum, or the C band
of the IEEE-defined spectrum, and twenty four operating in the NATO J band
or the IEEE Ku band
. Its solar arrays are expected to generate around 12 kilowatts of power at the beginning of the satellite's design life, and around 11 kilowatts at the end of it.
Arabsat-5A was launched by Arianespace
using an Ariane 5ECA
carrier rocket lifting off from ELA-3
at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou
, French Guiana
. The first attempt to launch it occurred on 23 June 2010, however the launch was scrubbed due to a problem with one of the rocket's subsystems. A subsequent attempt on 24 June was also scrubbed, due to a problem with the pressurisation of the rocket's fuel tanks. The launch occurred at 21:41 UTC on 26 June 2010. The South Korea
n COMS-1 satellite was launched by the same rocket, with a SYLDA
adaptor being used to separate the spacecraft. Arabsat-5A was mounted atop the SYLDA, with COMS-1 underneath it.
Following launch, Arabsat-5A separated into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. It will then use an apogee motor to raise itself into geostationary orbit
. Once it reaches geostationary orbit, it will undergo testing before beginning operations at a longitude of 30.5 degrees East, where it will replace Arabsat-2B. It is expected to operated for fifteen years.
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
n communications satellite
Communications satellite
A communications satellite is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purpose of telecommunications...
operated by Arabsat
Arab Satellite Communications Organization
The Arab Satellite Communications Organization is a leading communications satellite operator in the Arab World, headquartered in the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Arabsat owns and operates five satellites platforms at orbital positions 20°, 26° and 30.5° East...
. It will be used to provide television, internet and telephone services to Arabia, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Arabsat-5A was constructed by Astrium, and is based around the Eurostar-3000 satellite bus
Satellite bus
A satellite bus or spacecraft bus is the general model on which multiple-production satellite spacecraft are often based. The bus is the infrastructure of a spacecraft, usually providing locations for the payload .They are most commonly used for geosynchronous satellites, particularly...
. It has a mass of 4800 kilograms (10,582.2 lb), and carries forty transponders; sixteen broadcasting in the G
G band
-NATO G band:The G band in the modern sense is the range of radio frequencies from 4 GHz to 6 GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum. This is equal to wave lengths between 7.5 cm and 5 cm...
/H band
H band
H band can refer to two different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, in the radio and near-infrared.-Radio:The H band is the range of radio frequencies from 6 GHz to 8 GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum. This is equal to wave lengths between 5 cm and 3.75 cm...
of the NATO-defined spectrum, or the C band
C band
The C band is a name given to certain portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, including wavelengths of microwaves that are used for long-distance radio telecommunications. The IEEE C-band - and its slight variations - contains frequency ranges that are used for many satellite communications...
of the IEEE-defined spectrum, and twenty four operating in the NATO J band
J band
J band can refer to two different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, in the radio and near-infrared.-Radio:The J band is the range of radio frequencies from 10 GHz to 20 GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum. This is equal to wave lengths between...
or the IEEE Ku band
Ku band
The Kμ band is a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the microwave range of frequencies. This symbol refers to —in other words, the band directly below the K-band...
. Its solar arrays are expected to generate around 12 kilowatts of power at the beginning of the satellite's design life, and around 11 kilowatts at the end of it.
Arabsat-5A was launched by Arianespace
Arianespace
Arianespace SA is a French company founded in 1980 as the world's first commercial space transportation company. It undertakes the production, operation, and marketing of the Ariane 5 rocket launcher as part of the Ariane programme....
using an Ariane 5ECA
Ariane 5
Ariane 5 is, as a part of Ariane rocket family, an expendable launch system used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit or low Earth orbit . Ariane 5 rockets are manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales...
carrier rocket lifting off from ELA-3
ELA-3
ELA-3, short for Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 3 , is a launch pad and associated facilities at the Centre Spatial Guyanais in French Guyana. ELA-3 is operated by Arianespace as part of the expendable launch system for Ariane 5 rockets...
at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou
Kourou
Kourou is a commune in French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America.Kourou is the location of the Guiana Space Centre, France and ESA's main spaceport.-Geography:...
, French Guiana
French Guiana
French Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...
. The first attempt to launch it occurred on 23 June 2010, however the launch was scrubbed due to a problem with one of the rocket's subsystems. A subsequent attempt on 24 June was also scrubbed, due to a problem with the pressurisation of the rocket's fuel tanks. The launch occurred at 21:41 UTC on 26 June 2010. The South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n COMS-1 satellite was launched by the same rocket, with a SYLDA
Sylda
Sylda is a village and a former municipality in the Mansfeld-Südharz district, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the town Arnstein....
adaptor being used to separate the spacecraft. Arabsat-5A was mounted atop the SYLDA, with COMS-1 underneath it.
Following launch, Arabsat-5A separated into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. It will then use an apogee motor to raise itself into geostationary orbit
Geostationary orbit
A geostationary orbit is a geosynchronous orbit directly above the Earth's equator , with a period equal to the Earth's rotational period and an orbital eccentricity of approximately zero. An object in a geostationary orbit appears motionless, at a fixed position in the sky, to ground observers...
. Once it reaches geostationary orbit, it will undergo testing before beginning operations at a longitude of 30.5 degrees East, where it will replace Arabsat-2B. It is expected to operated for fifteen years.