Arabsat misses the mark with BADR-1
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 March should have been a big month for Saudi-based satellite operator Arabsat. Not only was it set to see the launch of Badr-1, the first of two fourth generation satellites estimated to cost $150 million each, but it was also planning to celebrate with great fanfare during a major transition ceremony at this year’s Cabsat exhibition in Dubai.
Badr-1, however, missed its intended orbit. A preliminary ILS (International Launch Station) report cited a malfunction in the Breeze-M component, the last stage of the Russian Proton-M rocket used in the launch, leaving the satellite in a much lower orbit than originally planned. “We were never caught by surprise. All the people in this business get prepared because we know it can happen,” Arabsat senior advisor Emmanuel Hebrard told MEB Journal.
Experts say that the current orbit rendered Badr-1 (also known as 4A) as non-operational and shortened its projected lifespan from 16 years to none. Arabsat is currently considering its options and negotiating terms with its insurer before taking a decision on future actions.
Badr-1 was expected to replace Arabsat 2D, originally leased from France’s Eutelsat. With well over 200 regional satellite channels now using up existing capacities, the Middle East market was looking to new satellites such as Badr-1 to alleviate some of the load. Fresh capacity was then expected to hit the market in mid 2006 with Badr-2, which is still scheduled for launch in late July.
Arabsat is reportedly looking into a range of options to compensate for the loss of Badr-1, including buying one of the many orbiting satellites with a regional footprint. “There’s a great solidarity in the industry,” Hebrard said. “We had spontaneous offers from other operators proposing capacity.”
Some reports suggest that Arabsat may accelerate the construction of a previously conceived third satellite, Badr-3. “I’m not sure that Arabsat and Nilesat have a heck of lot of capacity left,” said Peter McBride, regional vice president of Europe, Middle East and Africa for PanAmSat.
“Because of the demand in the marketplace, I believe there is a slight shortage.” McBride said the US operator had just appointed a Middle East representative and was considering adding to regional capacity by “moving a bird, moving beams, or sending up a new bird.”
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