SES-4 was designed as the largest, most powerful satellite in the SES fleet. It will expand and enhance SES’s ability to provide Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) to the Americas, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Launching in early 2012, SES-4 will be located at 338 degrees east, one of the most highly demanded orbital locations for transatlantic traffic. The satellite was originally called NSS-14 and was built for SES New Skies, which is now a part of SES.
SES S.A. (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) announces that ILS has re-scheduled the SES-4 satellite launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on board an ILS Proton Breeze M rocket for 1:36 am local time on February 15th, 2012 (February 14th, 2012 at 20:36 p.m. CET, 14:36 p.m. EST).
SES-4 is a 20-kilowatt satellite with 52 C-band and 72 Ku-band transponders. It has C-band beams serving the eastern hemisphere of Europe and Africa, full coverage of the Americas, and a global beam to support mobile and maritime customers. Four high-power, regional Ku-band beams will provide service to Europe, the Middle East, West Africa as well as North and South America with extensive channel switching capability between C- and Ku-band transponders for enhanced connectivity. The new satellite is based on the flight-proven Space Systems/Loral 1300 platform and designed to deliver services for 15 years or more. SES-4 will be the 50th satellite in the global SES fleet and will also be the largest, most powerful SES satellite. It will replace the NSS-7 satellite at 338 degrees East longitude and provide increased capacity at this well established SES orbital slot.
In North America, the live broadcast of the launch will be available on the SES-2 satellite at 87 degrees West, C21, downlink frequency 4120.00 MHz, horizontal polarization, service ID 155086.
In Europe, the broadcast of the launch via ASTRA satellite is available at the orbital position 23.5 degrees East, channel 3.224, downlink frequency 12168.00 MHz, vertical polarization, Symbol rate 27.50 MSym/s, FEC 3/4, service ID 5250, service name SES-4 Launch.
A webcast is available here . The video transmission of the launch of SES-4 will begin approximately 30 minutes before liftoff.
