SES orders Sirius 5 from SS/Loral

[SAT-WORLD]

Luxembourg-based satellite operator SES has ordered a new multi-mission satellite, Sirius 5. SES’ leasing company, SES Satellite Leasing Ltd based in the Isle of Man, has procured the craft from manufacturer Space Systems/ Loral.
Sirius 5 will go to SES’ slot at 5 degrees East. The satellite is scheduled for launch in the second half of 2011. It will have 36 Ku-band transponders serving Northern Europe and the Baltic region as well as the African markets with DTH services. It will also have 24 C-band transponders for global and hemispheric coverage, delivering broadband, point-to-point and VSAT capacities.

The Ku-band transponders will be commercialised by SES Astra in the African DTH market and by SES Sirius in the Nordic markets, whereas the C-band transponders will become part of the SES New Skies commercial offering.

“The investment into a new satellite for the important orbital position 5 degrees East is part of our continuous fleet development and will add significant business potential for Northern Europe and Africa,” said Romain Bausch, President/CEO of SES. “The new satellite will allow us to further drive our DTH business and our international reach.”

“The construction of Sirius 5 is a perfect example of how SES and its different operating companies benefit from our group-wide procurement process,” said Martin Halliwell, President of SES Engineering. “Sirius 5 will have multiple missions and enable different parts of SES to broaden their ability to provide cost-effective solutions for broadcasting and broadband, especially in C-band, which is an increasingly hot commodity. We are pleased to work with Space Systems/Loral on another powerful satellite for the SES fleet.”


Source: Rapid TV News