Upcoming launches: 2009-2011

The SES companies plan to launch eight satellites between 2009 and 2011, in order to replace existing satellites and to add incremental capacity.

Future launches in chronological order:

NSS-12

Expected launch date: Q3, 2009

NSS-12 will be available for commercial service in 2009, replacing NSS-703 at 57º East, and bringing increased capacity and transmission power to a key location at the crossroads of Europe and Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia.

ASTRA 3B

Expected launch date: Q4, 2009

ASTRA 3B is planned to deliver additional capacity at the orbital position 23.5° East.

AMC-5R

Expected launch date: Q4, 2009

AMC-5R will be manufactured based on close-to-standardized requirements that will position SES AMERICOM to efficiently accommodate their fleet replacement cycle.

AMC-1R

Expected launch date: Q2, 2010

AMC-1R will provide replacement capacity for AMC-1 at103° West and in addition will serve a number of alternate purposes.

NSS-14

Expected launch date: Q4, 2010

NSS-14, a satellite with extensive C-band coverage and regional Ku-band coverage, will operate at 338° East.

ASTRA 1N

Expected launch date: 2011

ASTRA 1N will initially replace ASTRA 1G at the orbital position 19.2° East. ASTRA 1N will have 55 transponders with pan-European coverage, and will operate in the Ku frequency band. Its expected lifetime is 15 years.

SIRIUS 5

Expected launch date: H2 2011

Sirius 5 will have 36 Ku-band transponders serving Northern Europe and the Baltic region as well as the African markets with Direct-to-Home (DTH) services. It will also have 24 C-band transponders (36 MegaHertz each) for global and hemispheric coverage, delivering broadband, point-to-point and VSAT capacities. The Ku-band transponders will be commercialised by SES ASTRA in the African DTH market and by SES SIRIUS in the Nordic markets, whereas the C-band transponders will become part of the SES NEW SKIES offering.

See visual rendering of SIRIUS 5 (pdf 250kb)

QuetzSat-1

Expected launch date: 2011

QuetzSat-1, which is scheduled for launch in 2011, is a high powered Ku-band satellite designed to provide service for 15 years or more, and is based on the flight-proven SS/L 1300 satellite platform which provides flexibility for a broad range of applications. The satellite will be located at 77 degrees West. QuetzSat-1 is fully contracted to a subsidiary of EchoStar and will be used in part by Dish Mexico, an EchoStar joint venture, for DTH services in Mexico.

Recently completed launches:

NSS-9

Successfuly launched on 12 February 2009

The NSS-9 will be positioned at the orbital location of 183° East, allowing NSS-5 to be re-deployed to a new orbital slot.

CIEL 2 successfully launched

Ciel 2 was launched on an ILS Proton Breeze M rocket on 10 December 2008 from Baikonour Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. Operated by Ciel Satellite, Ciel-2 will be located at 129° West and deliver services throughout North America.

Watch the launch

ASTRA 1M
Watch the launch

ASTRA 1M, was successfully launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on a Proton Breeze M launch vehicle provided by International Launch Services (ILS) on 6 November 2008. It was the seventh ASTRA satellite to be launched on a Proton rocket. Read more