On September 22, 2026, the Arab Satellite Communications Organization and China Great Wall Industry Group Co., Ltd. officially signed the contract for the ARABSAT-50 communication satellite project in Tunisia. The signing ceremony was held during the 26th Arab Radio and Television Festival, attended by Arab and foreign envoys such as the Saudi Ambassador to Tunisia. This is the first time Arabsat has chosen a Chinese company to undertake a complete communication satellite project, and also the first time China has exported communication satellites to the Middle East, which Arabsat has called a milestone in its 50 year history.

Integrated development and launch of the entire satellite

ARABSAT-50 will adopt the Dongfanghong-3E satellite platform developed by the China Academy of Space Technology, equipped with high-power Ku band payloads, and positioned at the 26 ° E orbital position. Its core mission is to ensure the continuity of direct to home television broadcasting services. Satellite design has the ability to flexibly adjust beam and channel frequency, and can reconfigure capacity according to actual business needs. At the same time, it serves as a backup resource for Arabsat's existing satellite network, providing business continuity and disaster recovery support for different orbital positions. In terms of launch, the satellite plan uses the Long March 3B carrier rocket to launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation system will provide an integrated delivery model from satellite platforms, payload integration to launch services.

Arab League co building giant

Arabsat is headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and was jointly established by 21 member states of the Arab League in 1976. It was the first satellite service provider in the Arab world. Currently operating multiple communication satellites, covering parts of the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia. The signing of this contract coincides with Arabsat's 50th anniversary, and the satellite name ARABSAT-50 is derived from it. Previously, Arabsat's satellite procurement had long relied on European and American manufacturers. The selection of a Chinese company to undertake the development and launch of the entire satellite marks a substantial step for Arabsat in diversifying its suppliers. Previously, China Great Wall Industrial Group's main role in the Middle East was as a launch service provider, having launched 5A/5B satellites for Saudi Arabia. The ARABSAT-50 project marks the first time that a Chinese enterprise has entered the Middle East market as a dual identity of a whole satellite manufacturer and launch service provider. Keywords: high-tech news and information, aerospace, communication satellite

Middle East Market Verification Platform

The core mission of ARABSAT-50 is to ensure direct to home broadcast continuity at the 26 ° E orbital position, which means the satellite needs to have high power, high reliability, and flexible capacity management capabilities. The performance of Dongfanghong-3E platform in this scenario will directly affect the trust and purchasing willingness of other satellite operators in the Middle East and Africa towards Chinese satellite platforms. For supporting enterprises in China's aerospace industry chain, such as payloads, onboard electronics, and ground measurement and control, ARABSAT-50 is a benchmark project for entering the international communication satellite supply chain. The 10th Ministerial Meeting of the China Arab States Cooperation Forum in 2024 clarified the work priorities of both sides in the aerospace field, including accelerating the construction of space infrastructure and cooperation in aerospace technology and industry. ARABSAT-50 is one of the first commercial delivery projects under this framework.Editor/Gao Xue