Founded by the 21 member states of the Arab League, Arabsat has been serving the growing needs of the Arab world for over 40 years. It is considered one of the world’s top satellite operators and by far the leading satellite services provider in the Arab world.
Since the 1980s, Thales Alenia Space has delivered three first-generation satellites, two second-generation satellites and one third-generation satellite to Arabsat.
In 2009, Thales Alenia Space has teamed up with Astrium to build and deliver 4th and 5th generation satellites. Astrium built the platforms and integrating the satellites, while Thales Alenia Space designed and built the communications payloads. The Thales Alenia Space & Astrium consortium was again awarded the Arabsat’s 6th generation. In November 2015, it was successfully launched by Arianespace from Kourou in French Guyana with an Ariane 5 rocket.
The purpose of the multi-mission satellite is to deliver broadcasting, broadband and telecommunications services over Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Africa and Central Asia.