Satellite Technology Feature Article
September 30, 2009
NSS-12 Communication Satellite Shipped to Launch Base
By Nathesh, TMCnet Contributor
NSS-12 communication satellite, the first satellite built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) for SES NEW SKIES (News - Alert) has been delivered to the Kourou launch base where it will be rocketed to orbit on Oct 29.
Space Systems/Loral designs and builds satellites and spacecraft systems. SES WORLD SKIES is the new global division of SES, created through the combination of the former SES NEW SKIES and SES AMERICOM (News - Alert).
John Celli, president and chief operating officer at Space Systems/Loral has said the company is pleased that the Space Systems/Loral powerful satellite platform will contribute to SES’ ongoing success in providing services to some of the world's fastest growing markets.
Robert Bednarek, president and chief executive officer of SES WORLD SKIES also said that NSS-12 marked the beginning of their relationship with SS/L and complimented SS/L for being very responsive to their needs throughout the construction of this satellite.
Officials with SES WORLD SKIES said the NSS-12 is designed to replace NSS-703 at 57 deg E and cover virtually the entire Eastern Hemisphere, bringing increased capacity and transmission power to a key orbital location at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia.
The satellite is equipped with four regional Ku-band spot beams and will deliver DTH services over the Middle East and Europe, Central and South Asia and, for the first time, East Africa. The satellite’s high-capacity, high-power C-band hemispheric beams – one covering Europe, Africa (including Mauritius) and the Middle East, and the other stretching across Asia to Australia – have been augmented by a powerful C-band global beam spanning from the U.K. to the Far East.
Nathesh is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Nathesh's articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Stefania Viscusi
