Comparison of the
Arabsat
series 3 satellites.
The main satellite comparison index
| Satellite: | Arabsat 3A |
| . | . |
| Launch | 26 / 2 / 1999 |
| Launch Location | Kourou |
| Launch Mass (kg) | 2708 |
| Expected Lifetime (years) | 12 |
| Power Consumption (watts) | 6400 |
| Transponder Capacity at launch | 20 (+8 spare) |
| TWTA Output (watts) | ? |
| Transponder Bandwidth (MHz) | 34 |
| Channels (MHz) | 11700 - 12500 |
| Current Location | 26°E |
| Possible Decommission Date | 2011 |
| Manufacturer / Spacecraft type | Aerospatiale Spacebus 3000B |
| Stabilisation type | 3-axis |
The satellite suffered a major power failure on 7th December 2001, which disabled 8 transponders. The cause was either a problem with a power switching circuit, or the loss of a solar panel. A $170 million insurance claim was filed, and the satellite was declared a total loss. (This occurs if a satellite loses more than 25% of its transmission output capacity). Panamsat 5 was hired and co-located to assist. Arabsat 3A is still operating, but with a reduced transponder loading. During 2003, Hotbird 5 (renamed Eurobird 2, then Arabsat 2D) was also hired and slotted at 25.8E to help further.
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