The BADR-6 satellite built by EADS Astrium has been handed over to ARABSAT as part of the in-orbit delivery contract and has now entered commercial service.

BADR-6 is the third spacecraft built by Astrium for ARABSAT, the communications satellite operator based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The Astrium control centre in Toulouse began operating the BADR-6 satellite following its launch by Ariane 5 on the night of 7 July 2008.

The satellite arrived in geostationary orbit on 12 July, where it was comprehensively tested to ensure that all spacecraft functions were performing as expected.

ARABSAT officially took possession of the operational satellite on 8 August, just one month after the launch.

Khalid Balkheyour, President and CEO of ARABSAT disclosed that "BADR-6 is a multipurpose communications satellite equipped with Ku-band and C-band transponders designed to deliver to the Arab world and neighbouring countries Direct-to-Home broadcasting as well as internet broadband services, with all the extra capacity required to accommodate the anticipated rapidly growing demand for High-Definition TV".