Communication Satellite System for the Arab State Countries - Arabsat

Abstract

It was 14th of April 1976 when all Arab countries agreed to form the "Arab Satellite Communications Organization" stationed in its headquarter Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main objectives of the organization is to establish, operate and maintain a regional satellite system called "ARABSAT" that will provide telecommunication services, sound and television broadcasting for all Arab countires. This paper discusses the operation and technical characteristics of the ARABSAT System. Arab Satellite Communications Organiation (ASCO) On 14th of April 1976, members of the Arab League agreed to form an organization called ASCO (Arab Satellite Communications Organization), stationed in its headquarter Riyad, Saudi Arabia. The organization consists of 21 member countries, headed by Saudi Arabia. They are: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Libian Arab Republic, The Arab Republic of Egypt, the State of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, The State of Qatar, the State of Bahrain, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Sultanate of Oman, the Algerian Democratic and Popular Republic, the Arab Republic of Yemen, Tunisia, the Kingdom of Morocco, the Somali Democratic Republic, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Palestine and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. The objective is to create a regional satellite system for the Arab countries to serve general telecommunication services. The shares of the member states in the organizations is shown in Table I. The organization has a General Assembly, a Board of Directors and an Executive Organ. The General Assembly is the highest authority in the organization and is formed from the Ministers of Communications in charge of telecommunications in the member Arab States or whom they authorize. Table I. SHARES OF THE ARAB STATE COUNTRIES IN "ASCO" Arab State Countries Amount of shares {%) Saudi Arabia 26.2 Libya 18.5 Egypt : 10.4 Kuwait 8.3 Egypt 10.4 Lebanon 6.3 Qatar 5.0 Bahrain 4.0 Jordan 3.3 Qatar 5.0 Sudan 2.1 Syri a 1.7 Oman 1.0 Algeria 0.9 Sudan 2.1 Tunisia 0.6 Morocco 0.5 Somalia 0.3 Mauritania 0.2 Sudan 2.1 Yemen (P.D.R.) 0.1 100.0 ARABSAT Satellite System The main objectives of the ASCO organization is to establish, operate and maintain a regional satellite system for the Arab countries called "ARABSAT", to serve general telecommunication services such as telephone data transmission, telex and telegraphy, radio and television broadcasting. Societe nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale (SNIAS)-, France in cooperation with its partner Ford Aerospace and Communication Corporation (FACC)-, U.S.A. have submitted a proposal (1) to ASCO for the production and delivery of three communications satellites and the provision of related services.