spacetoday.net: Eutelsat, SES order satellites

Posted: Wed, Feb 27, 2008, 5:23 AM ET (1023 GMT)
European satellite operators Eutelsat and SES announced this week that they have ordered new communications satellites. Eutelsat announced Tuesday that it has ordered the W3B satellite from Thales Alenia Space for launch in the second quarter of 2010. The spacecraft, a Spacebus 4000C3 model, will weigh 5,400 kilograms at launch and carry 3 Ka-band and 53 Ku-band transponders. Eutelsat plans to operate the satellite at 7 degrees east in GEO, co-located with the existing W3A satellite, providing communications services for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. On Wednesday SES New Skies announced it had ordered its largest satellite, NSS-14, ever from Space Systems/Loral. The 1300-series spacecraft will weigh 5,800 kilograms at launch, carrying 52 Ku-band and 72 C-band transponders. The spacecraft, scheduled for launch in the fourth quarter of 2010, will be located at 338 degrees east, serving both the Americas as well as Europe and Africa.