NSS-8 Launch Slated for January 25th.THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- SES NEW SKIES SES NEW SKIES, formerly New Skies Satellites (NSS), is a Dutch operator of communications spacecraft, owned by SES. On November 30, 1998, the Intelsat 703 spacecraft was transferred to New Skies’ control. New Skies operates this and four other spacecraft. , an SES company (Paris:SESG SESG Systems Engineering Steering Group SESG Software Engineering Support Group SESG System Engineering Sub-Group ) (LuxX:SESG) and Sea Launch are initiating the final preparations for the launch of the NSS-8 communications satellite communications satellite artificial satellite that functions as part of a global radio-communications network. Echo 1, the first communications satellite, launched in 1960, was an instrumented inflatable sphere that passively reflected radio signals back to . Liftoff of the sixth satellite in the SES NEW SKIES fleet is planned at the opening of a 37-minute launch window beginning at 3:22 pm Pacific Standard Time (23:22 GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) See UTC. GMT - Universal Time 1 ) on January 25th, 2007. The Odyssey Launch Platform and the Sea Launch Commander Sea Launch Commander is the command ship for Sea Launch. It was built by Kværner Govan, at Govan shipyard, in Glasgow, Scotland. Its home port is Long Beach, California. are currently sailing to the launch site at 154 degrees West Longitude on the Equator to begin launch operations. Upon arrival, the launch team will initiate a 72-hour countdown and ballast the Launch Platform 65 feet, to launch depth, performing final tests on the launch system and the satellite. On launch day, a Zenit-3SL rocket will lift the 5,920 kg (13,051 lb) spacecraft to geosynchronous transfer orbit, on its way to a final orbital location of 57 degrees East Longitude. The high-power, state-of-the-art NSS-8 satellite is a Boeing 702 spacecraft that carries 56 C-band and 36 Ku-band transponders designed to replace the existing NSS-703 satellite as the centerpiece of NEW SKIES' strategic Indian Ocean Indian Ocean, third largest ocean, c.28,350,000 sq mi (73,427,000 sq km), extending from S Asia to Antarctica and from E Africa to SE Australia; it is c.4,000 mi (6,400 km) wide at the equator. It constitutes about 20% of the world's total ocean area. contribution to SES' global communications network Global Communications Network or (GCN) is an instant messaging client for Microsoft Windows. The software is provided free of charge but is supported by banner advertisements. In addition to chat services, users are also provided with free e-mail and webspace. . The successful launch of NSS-8 will subsequently also allow for NSS-703 to be re-deployed to the Atlantic Ocean Atlantic Ocean [Lat.,=of Atlas], second largest ocean (c.31,800,000 sq mi/82,362,000 sq km; c.36,000,000 sq mi/93,240,000 sq km with marginal seas). Physical Geography Extent and Seas region at 340x East, further boosting the global coverage and connectivity provided by the 40 plus strong fleet of satellites in the SES Group. NSS-8 will support a wide range of functions, including corporate communications Corporate communications is the process of facilitating information and knowledge exchanges with internal and key external groups and individuals that have a direct relationship with an enterprise. , government and military operations, Broadband Internet services and broadcast applications. The satellite will provide coverage to two-thirds of the world's population, serving countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and Asia. Designed for a 15-year lifespan, NSS-8 will have 18 kilowatts of total power at the beginning of life on orbit. Sea Launch will carry live coverage of this first mission for SES NEW SKIES via satellite and also streaming video on the Sea Launch website at www.sealaunch.com. The live video stream can also be accessed via links at www.ses-newskies.com and/or www.ses-global.com About SES NEW SKIES SES NEW SKIES is an SES company (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) offering satellite communication services to a range of customers including telecommunications providers, broadcasters, corporations and governments around the world. SES NEW SKIES owns and operates a global fleet of five satellites in orbit, with two additional spacecraft under construction (NSS-8 and NSS-9) and ground facilities around the world. Headquartered in The Hague, the company has offices in Hong Kong, New Delhi, Sao Paulo, Singapore, Sydney and Washington, D.C. In addition to SES NEW SKIES, SES wholly owns market-leading satellite operators SES ASTRA in Europe and SES AMERICOM in North America and also holds strategic participations in AsiaSat in Asia, Star One in Latin America, SES Sirius in Europe, Ciel in Canada and Quetzsat in Mexico. SES provides outstanding satellite communications solutions via a combined fleet of more than 40 satellites across the globe. Further information on the company is available at www.ses-newskies.com and on SES at www.ses-global.com. |
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