A new-generation communications satellite for the Arab League, the Arabsat 2-BSS1, will be built by Aerospatiale, with the payload to be provided by Alcatel Espace.

Aerospatiale has built three Arabsat 1s and two Arabsat 2s, the second of which was launched on an Ariane 4 on 13 November with Malaysia's Measat 2.

Like the Arabsat 2s, the new BSS1 model will be based on a Spacebus 3000 (Flight International, 21-27 August). The 2,400kg craft will generate 6.4kW of power and will carry 20 Ku-band transponders.

Aerospatiale has now received orders for ten Spacebus 3000s.

Source: Flight International