Arabsat

Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat), established in 1976 by the Arab League and headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is one of the world's largest regional satellite operators — providing GEO communications infrastructure for the 22-nation Arab world's television broadcasting, broadband internet, enterprise telecommunications, and government communications sectors across the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe.

Arabsat operates a fleet of GEO satellites positioned at orbital slots including 26°E and 30.5°E (Badr position) and 20°E — strategic positions providing simultaneous coverage of the Arab world's 400+ million population, sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe. The Badr satellite position at 26°E is the most watched satellite position in the Arab world, carrying hundreds of free-to-air and pay-television Arabic channels that are received by DTH (Direct-to-Home) satellite dishes across the Middle East and diaspora communities in Europe and North America.

Arabsat's satellite fleet is primarily manufactured by European primes (Airbus Defence & Space, Thales Alenia Space) and American manufacturers (Boeing Satellite Systems, Lockheed Martin), reflecting the international supply chain for GEO telecommunications platforms. Recent satellites include Arabsat-6A (built by Lockheed Martin, launched on Falcon 9 Heavy in April 2019 — SpaceX's most powerful operational rocket — in a landmark commercial mission demonstrating Falcon Heavy commercial viability) and Hellas-Sat-4 (shared with Hellas-Sat).

As a regional multilateral organization owned by Arab League member states and Arab investors, Arabsat serves a dual role as commercial operator and political instrument of Arab world space sovereignty — ensuring Arabic-language broadcasting and government communications infrastructure remains under regional rather than Western or Chinese control. Arabsat competes with Es'hailSat (Qatar), Yahsat (UAE), and international operators SES and Intelsat for transponder capacity in the region.