Satellite footprints

SES-6 at 40.5° West

Position:40.5° West
Manufacturer:Airbus Defense & Space
Operator:SES
Launch operator:ILS
Launch vehicle:Proton M/Breeze
Launch date:06/03/2013
Expected lifetime:15 Years

SES World Skies (SES) ordered in May 2010 the SES 6 hybrid satellite from EADS Astrium (Airbus Defense & Space) for delivery in 2013. The satellite would replace the aging NSS 806 satellite.

SES-6 will offer 50% more C-Band capacity for the cable community, and retain the unique capability to distribute content between the Americas and Europe on the same high-powered beam. In addition, SES-6 satellite will offer a substantial upgrade to Ku-Band capacity in the region with dedicated high-power beams over Brazil, South cone, the Andean region, North America, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, while also offering an innovative payload to support mobile maritime and aeronautical services on the highly demanded routes from North America, the Gulf of Mexico, across the north Atlantic and to Europe.

The new SES-6 satellite, which is nearly twice as large as NSS-806, will have a total of five steerable Ku-band beams, including four beams for the Americas and one beam covering the Atlantic ocean region.

With 43 C-Band and 48 Ku-Band 36 MHz equivalent transponders (38 C-Band and 36 Ku-Band physical transponders) the almost 6,000kgs satellite was launched on June 3rd, 2013, on a Proton M launch vehicle, operated by launch operator ILS.  The satellite has a design life of 15 years and was built on the Airbus Eurostar-3000 bus.

SES-6 at 40.5° West

SES-6 satellite built by EADS Astrium
SES-6 on Proton rocket ready form launch
SES-6 satellite in orbit

SES-6 at 40.5° West

SES-6 C-band Hemi Beam East view M
SES-6 C-band Hemi Beam West view M