The SES-22 satellite was successfully launched into space onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX’s Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (SFS) in Florida, United States, at 5:04 p.m., local time for SES.
Built by Thales Alenia Space, the first of SES’s C-band satellites dedicated to freeing up the lower 300 MHz of C-band spectrum will operate in the 135 degrees West orbital slot. The satellite will deliver TV and radio to millions of American homes and provide other critical data transmission services, with satellite operations is expected to start by early August of 2022.
The SES-22 spacecraft had a fast on-ground delivery time as satellite manufacturer Thales Alenia Space shipped it only 22 months after it was ordered. SES-22 is the seventh SES satellite launched by SpaceX over the last 10 years. This was the second launch and landing of this Falcon 9 booster, which previously supported the launch of one Starlink mission.
The launch of SES-22 is part of a broader Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program to clear a portion of C-band spectrum to enable wireless operators to deploy 5G services across the contiguous U.S. (CONUS). In response to a mandate from the FCC, satellite operators, such as SES, are required to transition their existing services from the lower 300 MHz to the upper 200 MHz of C-band spectrum to make room for 5G.
To meet the FCC’s accelerated deadline of clearing C-band spectrum across the U.S. by December of 2023 while maintaining uninterrupted services, SES will launch five satellites – SES-18, SES-19, SES-20, SES-21 and SES-22 in 2022.
“We are thrilled with the successful launch of SES-22, thanks to our partners at Thales Alenia Space and SpaceX,” said Steve Collar, CEO of SES. “The launch of SES-22, together with other upcoming C-band satellite launches scheduled this year, will enable us to continue providing the high-quality services that our customers have been accustomed to over the last several decades, while freeing up spectrum that will enable the US to rapidly unlock the promise of 5G.”
“The successful launch of SES 22 is the result of our long-standing and fruitful collaboration with SES,” said Hervé Derrey, President and CEO of Thales Alenia Space. “This achievement reflects the robustness and flight-proven heritage of our Spacebus 4000 B2 platform combined with our ability to timely and quickly deliver SES-22, two key elements leading to the decision of SES working with us to replace its existing C-Band fleet.”
