(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SES (Paris:SESG)(LuxX:SESG) announced that the ASTRA 2F satellite has arrived at the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, where it will now be processed for launch aboard an Ariane V rocket. The launch is scheduled for 21st September 2012.
The ASTRA 2F satellite was designed and built for SES by EADS Astrium, a leading manufacturer of commercial satellites. It is a powerful six-ton satellite with a design lifetime of 15 years, built on the Eurostar E3000 platform.
The multi-mission satellite will be located at 28.2 degrees East and carry Ku- and Ka-band payloads for the delivery of high performance Direct-to-Home (DTH) and next generation broadband services in Europe, Middle East and Africa.
28.2 degrees East is one of SES' prime orbital positions serving premium broadcasters, including BSkyB, the BBC, ITV and Channel 5. It delivers programming to almost 13 million satellite homes and over three million cable homes, as well as 700,000 IPTV homes in the UK and Ireland. In addition, 28.2 degrees East is used to broadcast numerous channels of growing DTH-platforms in sub-Saharan Africa.
ASTRA 2F will also feature a Ka-band payload that will further enhance SES' Broadband service. SES Broadband today is Europe’s most popular satellite broadband system. The Ka-band payload will support an even higher quality of service and higher throughput.
ASTRA 2F is the first of a series of three satellites that will be positioned at the 28.2 degrees East neighbourhood in several steps between 2012 and 2014 to provide replacement capacity and enhanced capabilities at this orbital location. ASTRA 2E and ASTRA 2G are currently scheduled for launch in Q2 2013 and Q1 2014.
"ASTRA 2F has an important mission to ensure fleet continuity at 28.2 degrees East, well ahead of the end of life of the current ASTRA satellites located at this orbital position," said Martin Halliwell, Chief Technology Officer of SES. "We are pleased that ASTRA 2F has arrived at the launch base safely and we look forward to another successful launch in late September."
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About SES
SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 51 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide.
SES stands for long-lasting business relationships, high-quality service and excellence in the broadcasting industry. The culturally diverse regional teams of SES are located around the globe and work closely with customers to meet their specific satellite bandwidth and service requirements.
SES (Paris:SESG)(LuxX:SESG) holds participations in Ciel in Canada and QuetzSat in Mexico, as well as a strategic participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks. Further information under: www.ses.com.
Contacts
SES
Markus Payer
Market Communication & PR
Tel. +352 710 725 500
Markus.Payer@ses.com
Kirstin Steffen
Tel. +352 710 725 329
kirstin.steffen@ses.com
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