# BADR-3 > decommissioned Arabsat geostationary communications satellite **Wikidata**: [Q795356](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q795356) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/badr-3 ## Summary BADR-3 (also known as Arabsat-3A or Arabsat-2BSS) is a decommissioned geostationary communications satellite originally operated by the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat). Launched on 1999-02-26 aboard an Ariane 44L, it was built by Aérospatiale on the Spacebus-3000B2 platform and was moved to a graveyard orbit after the end of its service life in August 2009. ## Key Facts - Official names/aliases: BADR-3, Arabsat-3A, Arabsat-2BSS, Badr 3. - Launch date and time: 1999-02-26 at 22:44 (UTC). - Launch vehicle and site: Ariane 44L (flight V116) from ELA-2. - Operator: Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat). - Manufacturer and origin: Aérospatiale; country of origin France. - Spacecraft bus: Spacebus-3000B2. - Mass: launch mass 2,708 kg; service-entry mass 1,646 kg; dry mass 1,200 kg. - Power and propulsion: two spacecraft solar arrays rated 6,400 (as listed in source) and an S400 (one) propulsion unit. - Planned/design service life: 13 years (design); documented service life: 10.5 years. - End of mission: decommissioned and placed in a graveyard orbit in August 2009. - Classifications: communications satellite, geostationary satellite, derelict satellite. - Identifiers: COSPAR ID 1999-009A; Satellite Catalog Number (SCN) 25638; NSSDCA ID 1999-009A. - Additional IDs: Google Knowledge Graph ID /g/1214m53j; Wolfram Language entity Entity["Satellite","25638"]. ## FAQs ### Q: What was BADR-3's primary purpose? A: BADR-3 was a geostationary communications satellite operated by Arabsat, built to provide telecommunications services from geostationary orbit. ### Q: When and how was BADR-3 launched? A: BADR-3 was launched on 1999-02-26 at 22:44 UTC aboard an Ariane 44L (flight V116) from launch complex ELA-2. ### Q: Who built and operated BADR-3? A: The satellite was manufactured by Aérospatiale (France) and operated by the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat). ### Q: What happened to BADR-3 at end of life? A: BADR-3 was decommissioned and moved to a graveyard orbit in August 2009, and is classified as a derelict satellite. ### Q: How long did BADR-3 operate? A: Its design life was 13 years; recorded service life was approximately 10.5 years before decommissioning. ## Why It Matters BADR-3 was part of Arabsat’s fleet of geostationary communications satellites, representing the deployment of the Spacebus-3000B2 platform for regional telecommunications in the late 1990s. As a geostationary communications satellite, it supported sustained telecommunications capacity from a fixed orbital slot, demonstrating interoperability between European satellite manufacturing (Aérospatiale) and commercial launch systems (Ariane 4). The satellite’s documented service entry and launch masses, payload power capability (solar arrays), and propulsion configuration (S400) reflect the design trade-offs typical of medium-class geostationary telecom craft of its generation. Its retirement to a graveyard orbit in August 2009 follows standard end-of-life mitigation practice for geostationary satellites, and its classification as a derelict satellite documents its current inactive status for cataloging and space situational awareness. BADR-3 therefore serves as an example of late-20th-century geostationary communications infrastructure and lifecycle management. ## Notable For - Launch and operation as Arabsat’s geostationary communications satellite known as BADR-3 / Arabsat-3A. - Built on the Spacebus-3000B2 platform by Aérospatiale (France). - Launched on 1999-02-26 by an Ariane 44L (V116) from ELA-2. - Carried a power system of two spacecraft solar arrays rated 6,400 and used an S400 propulsion unit. - Decommissioned and moved to a graveyard orbit in August 2009 after ~10.5 years of service. ## Body ### Overview - Name and aliases: BADR-3; also listed as Arabsat-3A, Arabsat-2BSS, Badr 3. - Classification: communications satellite, geostationary satellite, derelict satellite. - Operator: Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat). - Manufacturer: Aérospatiale (France). - Spacecraft bus: Spacebus-3000B2. ### Launch - Launch date and time: 1999-02-26 at 22:44 (UTC). - Launch vehicle: Ariane 44L (flight designation V116). - Launch site/start point: ELA-2. - Upper stage/space tug: H10-3 (as listed in source qualifiers). ### Mass and Physical Parameters - Launch mass: 2,708 kg (criterion: launch weight; listed as preferred value). - Mass at service entry: 1,646 kg (criterion: service entry). - Dry mass: 1,200 kg (criterion: dry weight). ### Power and Propulsion - Power: two spacecraft solar arrays with a combined rating listed as 6,400 (value shown in source qualifiers). - Propulsion: S400 unit listed (one). ### Mission Profile and Service Life - Intended/design life: 13 years (design life). - Documented service life: 10.5 years. - Operational role: geostationary telecommunications from a fixed orbital slot while active. ### End of Mission / Current Status - Significant event: spacecraft decommissioning and relocation to graveyard orbit. - Decommissioning date (point in time listed): August 2009. - Current status: decommissioned; classified in sources as a derelict satellite residing in a graveyard orbit. ### Identifiers and Catalog Entries - COSPAR ID: 1999-009A. - NSSDCA ID: 1999-009A. - Satellite Catalog Number (SCN): 25638. - Google Knowledge Graph ID: /g/1214m53j. - Wolfram Language entity: Entity["Satellite","25638"]. - Languages with Wikipedia entries (as listed): de, pl, pt. ### Notes on Sources - Technical and catalog properties are recorded in the supplied structured dataset and reference entries from space.skyrocket.de and tbs-satellite.com as indicated in the source material. ## References 1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/arabsat-3a.htm) 2. Jonathan's Space Report 3. [Source](http://www.tbs-satellite.com/tse/online/sat_arabsat_3a.html)