Alcatel Space, a subsidiary of Alcatel, will provide the payloads of the fourth-generation Arabsat 4-A and Arabsat 4-B satellites for EADS Astrium, prime contractor for the Arabsat program. The satellites are planned to enter service in 2006.

The two satellites will be co-located at 26 degrees East, with the other Arabsat satellites. They will be used by the Arab League's telecommunications organization to expand and optimize capacity for direct TV broadcasting, telephony and data transmissions over a coverage zone encompassing North Africa, the Middle East and part of Western Europe.

Arabsat 4-A will be fitted with 40 transponders, 24 C-band and 16 Ku-band. Arabsat 4-B will have 28 transponders, 12 in Ku-band/FSS for Fixed Satellite Services, and 16 in Ku-band/BSS for Broadcasting Satellite Services. Both payloads will have about 6 kW of power. Alcatel Space will build the two payloads at its Toulouse plant, then send them to EADS Astrium for integration on the Eurostar E2000+ spacecraft.

This contract won by the European team lead by EADS Astrium bolsters Alcatel Space's long tradition of collaboration with Arabsat, beginning back in the 1980s with the delivery of three first-generation satellites. It was followed by two second-generation satellites, and one third-generation satellite.

Alcatel Space, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alcatel, is the world's third largest satellite manufacturer and Number 1 in Europe. Deploying extensive dual expertise in civil and military applications, Alcatel Space develops satellite solutions for telecommunications, navigation, radar and optical observation, meteorology and science. The company is also the leading European prime contractor for earth observation, meteorology and navigation ground segments, and for space system operation.

Alcatel provides end-to-end communications solutions, enabling carriers, service providers and enterprises to deliver content to any type of user, anywhere in the world. Leveraging its long-term leadership in telecommunications network equipment as well as its expertise in applications and network services, Alcatel enables its customers to focus on optimizing their service offerings and revenue streams. With sales of EURO 16.5 billion in 2002, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries.