World Skies rebrands fleet

Satellite operator SES World Skies has updated its satellite fleet development plan and announced a rebrand for its satellite fleet.

Three new satellites are in various stages of development, which the company said were intended to replenish and expand its North American fleet. They will be named SES-1, SES-2 and SES-3. 

SES-1 is set for launch this spring and will replace AMC-2 and AMC-4 at the 101° West orbital position. World Skies said it would publish further information on launch dates and orbital slots for SES-2 and SES-3 shortly.

NSS-14, which is currently under construction and scheduled for launch during the first quarter of 2011, has been renamed SES-4. It will replace NSS-7 and provide incremental capacity over the Atlantic Ocean with coverage of the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. NSS-7 will then move to replace NSS-5 at 340° East.

The C-band payload of the Sirius 5 spacecraft, also under construction and scheduled for launch in the fourth quarter of 2011, will be named SES-5 and reside together with the Ku-band payload of Sirius 5 at 5° East. The NSS-806 replacement satellite, under negotiation with vendors, will be named SES-6.

“SES World Skies is embarking on one of the most ambitious satellite deployment initiatives in the industry to meet the strong need for ubiquitous connectivity in virtually every corner of the world,” said Rob Bednarek, president and CEO of SES World Skies.