On Thursday, September 10, 2026, satellite operator SES announced the rollout of SES CORE, a content orchestration platform engineered for media companies and commercial broadcasters.
Built on an infrastructure-neutral software architecture, the platform enables operators to manage, monitor, and route high-definition and ultra-high-definition video transmissions across hybrid network paths—including satellite, ground fiber, and IP transport networks—through a unified user interface.
Operational Context and Corporate Consolidation
The launch of SES CORE comes as major satellite fleet operators accelerate software-driven virtual ground strategies to simplify hybrid workflows. The initiative builds upon SES’s $3.1 billion acquisition of Intelsat, which consolidated extensive geostationary (GEO), medium Earth orbit (MEO), and ground station assets under a unified global management umbrella.
The platform rollout also complements ongoing space-segment modernization across key broadcast neighborhoods. This includes the successful deployment of the ASTRA 1P wide-beam satellite, which replaced legacy orbital assets to secure primary direct-to-home (DTH) TV distribution across European prime orbital positions. Furthermore, SES continues expanding multi-orbit capacity allocations, leveraging its O3b mPOWER constellation to deliver high-throughput connectivity alongside institutional participation in Europe’s IRIS² constellation framework.
Platform Architecture and Technical Specifications
SES CORE integrates automated workflow management and real-time network telemetry into a single operational interface. Designed to handle complex hybrid media distribution, the software stack streamlines routing across diverse transmission mediums:
- Infrastructure-Neutral Routing: Dynamically allocates video and data feeds across GEO satellite beams, terrestrial fiber backbones, and cloud-based IP transport protocols according to real-time network conditions.
- Single-Pane-of-Glass Interface: Centralizes distribution monitoring, signal health diagnostics, and channel configuration onto a single management dashboard, reducing operational complexity.
- Automated Operational Redundancy: Provides continuous signal failover by automatically rerouting media streams to secondary satellite or IP paths if primary links experience degradation or outages.
- Scalable Channel Deployment: Supports rapid channel provisioning, allowing broadcasters to scale services into new regional markets and adopt emerging streaming distribution models without ground infrastructure overhauls.
Commercial Market Rationale and Hybrid Media Convergence
The development of SES CORE addresses shifting requirements within the global media landscape, where traditional broadcast delivery is converging with cloud-native IP workflows. Rather than relying on rigid, single-path transmission networks, media organizations increasingly demand flexible distribution models that balance the reach of wide-beam satellite coverage with the targeted flexibility of terrestrial IP networks.
By abstracting underlying transport mechanics behind a software interface, SES aims to lower operational overhead for broadcasters while expanding its managed services business. The unified control layer enables content owners to optimize transmission costs, preserve signal quality, and ensure business continuity across linear television networks, OTT streaming platforms, and live event distribution channels.
Executive Leadership Viewpoint
Addressing the challenges facing commercial broadcasters in an increasingly fragmented distribution ecosystem, SES media leadership emphasized the need for operational simplification.
“Broadcasters and media companies are navigating increasingly complex distribution environments, where content needs to move seamlessly across multiple networks, technologies, and destinations,” stated Deepak Mathur, President of Media at SES. “As hybrid workflows become the norm, customers are looking for simpler ways to manage that complexity while maintaining the visibility and reliability they depend on. SES CORE addresses this evolution, providing a unified platform designed for the future of content orchestration and hybrid delivery.”
Platform Scaling and Commercial Availability
SES CORE is now commercially available to global broadcast, media, and enterprise customers. SES will continue integrating advanced analytics modules, automated cloud ingress points, and expanded software-defined routing capabilities into the SES CORE framework, establishing it as a primary software management layer for the operator’s global hybrid network infrastructure.
