SES-12 Satellite Successfully Launched into Space Aboard a Falcon 9 Rocket

The SES-12 satellite was successfully launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida, USA, at 00:45 local time.

The SES-12 satellite is uniquely designed using the latest wide beams and high-throughput beams. It will join SES-8 at the 95 degrees east longitude position to meet the diverse needs of customers using video, fixed data, mobile communications and government services in the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East. SES-12 is the latest satellite that SES has launched to this orbital position, where it will operate under the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It will replace and enhance the quality of services currently provided by the SES NSS-6 satellite.

The combined coverage of SES-12 and SES-8 will reach 18 million television households. The satellites will provide pay-TV operators with reliability and scalability to improve the viewing experience. Operators will be able to add more content and provide higher quality images, thereby meeting the ever-growing demand of audiences for high-definition (HD) and Ultra HD content.

Also, like the SES-14 and SES-15 satellites serving North and South America, the high-throughput payload of the SES-12 satellite is an SES solution to expand connectivity capabilities in the aeronautical and maritime segments in the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East. SES-12 will also be crucial in providing governments with connectivity programs to bridge the digital divide and will allow telecommunications operators, mobile network operators and internet service providers to provide more reliable mobile services and faster broadband services.

The SES-12 satellite has six wide beams and 72 high-throughput spot beams. It is one of the largest geostationary satellites ever launched by SES. The spacecraft also has a transparent digital processor (DTP) that enhances payload flexibility to provide bandwidth that is much better tailored for SES customers. The fully electric SES-12 satellite was built by Airbus Defence and Space; it will rely on electric propulsion for orbit raising and subsequent orbital maneuvers. SES-12 will join the SES network of seven geostationary satellites and 16 medium Earth orbit satellites in the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East.