SES-18 and SES-19 are the fourth and fifth and final satellites to be launched as part of SES’s C-band transition plan.
The Falcon 9 that deployed SES-18 and SES-19 lifted off at 7:38 p.m. Eastern on 2023-03-17.
SES-18 and SES-19 were built by Northrop Grumman.
SES-18 provides contractual service protections for U.S. video service customers to enable SES to clear C-band spectrum.
SES-18 is expected to begin operations in June 2023 at 103 degrees West replacing the SES-3 C-band payload.
SES-18 and SES-19 follow the launch of SES-22 in June 2022 and the tandem launch of SES-20 and SES-21 in October 2022.
SES-18 and SES-19 were launched by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 7:38 p.m. local time on 2023-03-17.
SES-18 and SES-19 will provide contractual service protections to customers who receive video services in the United States to enable clearing of C-band spectrum.
SES-18 is expected to begin operations in June 2023 at 103 degrees West replacing the SES-3 C-band payload.
The Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting the SES-18 and SES-19 mission previously supported the launches of CRS-24, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13F, OneWeb 1, and two Starlink missions.
SES-18 and SES-19 were developed by Northrop Grumman and built on the company’s GEOStar-3 satellite bus.
SES will launch five satellites—SES-18, SES-19, SES-20, SES-21, and SES-22—in 2022 to meet the FCC’s accelerated deadline of clearing C-band spectrum across the U.S. by December 2023 while maintaining uninterrupted services.
SES will launch five satellites—SES-18, SES-19, SES-20, SES-21, and SES-22—in 2022 to meet the FCC’s accelerated deadline to clear C-band spectrum across the United States by December 2023 while maintaining uninterrupted services.
Northrop Grumman will build SES-18 and SES-19 in Dulles, Virginia on its GeoStar-3 satellite platform.