After two suspended launches, the SES-8 satellite was successfully delivered into geostationary orbit on December 3, 2013. It was launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the United States.
The SES-8 is the sixth addition to the satellite operator’s Asia-Pacific fleet and the 55th globally. Co-located with NSS-6 satellite at 95 degree East, the satellite will deliver key platforms in India and Thailand. Collectively, these platforms deliver more than 400 TV channels to over 20 million homes. According to the company, SES-8 reinforces the operator’s commitment to supporting the long-term strategic growth of its customers across the Asia-Pacific region.
Featuring two high-powered beams that are designed to meet the evolving needs of leading direct-to-home operators in South Asia and Indo-China, SES-8 will help operators attract new subscribers and deliver a richer variety of digital content, claims SES.
The launch marks a milestone for SpaceX, as it was its first commercial mission to geostationary transfer orbit, making it the latest entrant into the launch provider market.
The SES-9 at 108.2 degree East is the company’s next satellite for the Asia-Pacific region and is in the pipeline for a 2015 launch.
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