Arabsat launches its first Satellite of the 5th generation
 Badr – 5 on 4th of June 2010

Arab Satellite Communication Organization (Arabsat) announced today that Arabsat fifth-generation Satellite (Badr-5) will be launched  in Kazakhstan in Baykanour base on  3rd of June  Thursday at 22:00 GMT, ( Friday morning 4th of June 1:00 local time) by  Proton / Breeze M (Proton / Breeze M) rocket, which is owned by ILS, While the two French companies Astrium and Thales Alenia Space are the manufacturers of the satellite . The model of the satellite is Eurostar +3000 E (EurostarE3000).

Eng./Khalid bin Ahmed Balkhyour President&CEO of Arabsat has stated that  BADR-5 satellite is a multi-loads, services and coverages as it was  designed to serve the Arab world and the neighborhood regions through a number of varied coverages (beams) and through the different frequencies in  the KU- band and the Ka-band that provide  (Direct - to - home) services and (Interactive TV) and  (internet broadband services) with additional capacities to accommodate the expected demand for HDTV (High - Definition TV ).

Balkheyour added that Arabsat new Bader -5 capacities will provide a full backup in the orbit for the satellites currently operating in Arabsat exclusive Hot Spot 26 degrees East, plus the ability to meet the increasing demands and expansion in the future, as this satellite alone can transmit more than 700 TV channels and at the same time provide various satellite communications services, including the Internet.

 Balkheyour also said that by the end of the same month (June 2010) the second satellite of the fifth-generation (5-A) will be launched in the exclusive orbital position of Arabsat 30.5 degrees East, which covers the whole continent of Africa and large parts of Asia as well as covering the Arab world fully and distinctly.

 Thus, Arabsat has achieved integration in providing of space-based services as it is considered the only organization in the region that has a highly qualified and integrated fleet of satellites providing all Satellite communications and television broadcasting services.

The launch of BADR – 5 can be watched live on Arabsat Promotional Channel on  Friday, June 4th at 1:00 am local time on the following frequencies:

Badr - 4: 11,996 H - 11,976 V
Badr - 6: 11,747 V