Mission type | Communication |
---|---|
Operator | SES S.A. |
COSPAR ID | 2010-016A |
SATCAT no. | 36516 |
Website | https://www.ses.com/ |
Mission duration | 15 years |
Spacecraft properties | |
Bus | Star-2.4 |
Manufacturer | Orbital Sciences Corporation |
Launch mass | 3170 kg |
Power | 5000 watts |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 24 April 2010, 11:19:00 UTC |
Rocket | Proton-M/Briz-M |
Launch site | Baikonur, Site 200/39 |
Contractor | Khrunichev |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
Regime | Geostationary orbit |
Longitude | 101° West (2013-present) |
Transponders | |
Band | 24 C-band 24 Ku-band |
Coverage area | C-band (USA, Mexico, Caribbean, Canada, Central America) Ku-band (USA, Southern Canada, Northern Mexico) |
SES-1 is a geostationary communications satellite which is operated by SES World Skies, then by SES S.A.
It was originally ordered by SES Americom as a ground spare for AMC-5R, however in April 2008 a decision was made to launch it, and it was named AMC-1R. It was subsequently renamed AMC-4R, and finally SES-1 after SES Americom merged with SES New Skies to form SES World Skies.[1] It was the third SES World Skies satellite to be launched following the merger, but the first to carry the new SES designation.[2] SES-1 operates in geostationary orbit, and is intended to be located at a longitude of 101° West, where it will replace the AMC-2 and AMC-4 satellites, and be used broadcast high-definition television to very small aperture terminals in the United States.[3]
SES-1 was built by Orbital Sciences Corporation, and is based on the Star-2.4 satellite bus. It is equipped with 24 C band, and 24 Ku-band transponders, and at launch it had a mass of 3,170 kilograms (6,990 lb). It has a design life of fifteen years, however it was launched with enough fuel to operate for at least sixteen years, if its systems are still functional.[1]
The launch of SES-1 was conducted by International Launch Services (ILS), using a Proton-M carrier rocket with a Briz-M upper stage.[3] The launch occurred from Site 200/39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, at 11:19:00 UTC on 24 April 2010.[2] The launch successfully placed SES-1 into a subsynchronous orbit close to geostationary altitude.[3][4]
In May and June 2010, SES-1 was positioned close to 131° West to temporarily provide backup to the AMC-11 satellite in the event that AMC-11 could not continue broadcasting whilst it is moved out of the way of the failed Galaxy 15 satellite, which passed close to it at the end of May 2010.[5] In the end, services provided by AMC-11 were not interrupted.[6]