JIUQUAN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China successfully sent a new remote sensing satellite of the Yaogan-34 series into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 3:09 p.m. on Thursday (Beijing Time).

The Yaogan-34 02 satellite was carried by a Long March-4C rocket and successfully entered its planned orbit.

This remote sensing satellite will be used for the survey of land resources, urban planning, crop yield estimation, and disaster prevention and reduction.

It was the 411th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series.

A Kuaizhou-1A carrier rocket carrying the Jilin-1 Gaofen 02F satellite blasts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the northwest China, Oct. 27, 2021. The satellite was launched at 2:19 p.m. (Beijing Time) and entered the planned orbit. (Photo by Wang Jiangbo/Xinhua)

JIUQUAN, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday sent a new satellite into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the northwestern Gansu Province.

The Jilin-1 Gaofen 02F satellite was launched by a Kuaizhou-1A (KZ-1A) carrier rocket at 2:19 p.m. (Beijing Time) and entered the planned orbit.

It is an optical remote sensing satellite that can provide high resolution images and high-speed data transmission.

Kuaizhou-1A, which is Chinese for fast ship, is a low-cost small solid-fuel carrier rocket that has a short preparation period. Developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, the rocket is designed to launch low-orbit satellites weighing under 300 kg.

Since their first commercial mission in 2017, KZ-1A rockets have sent 21 satellites into space.

Wednesday's launch was the 12th mission by Kuaizhou-1A series rockets, according to the launch center.

Source: Xinhua

JIUQUAN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo will carry out the Shenzhou-12 manned spaceflight mission, and Nie will be the commander, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced on Wednesday.

This will be the first manned mission during the construction of China's space station, and the crew will stay in orbit for three months, Ji Qiming, assistant to the director of the CMSA, told a press conference held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, where the Shenzhou-12 spaceship will be launched on Thursday morning.

Nie, the most experienced among the three, was in the Shenzhou-6 mission in 2005 and the Shenzhou-10 mission in 2013.

It will be Liu's second spaceflight, as he once participated in the Shenzhou-7 mission in 2008, which featured a landmark spacewalk.

Tang will be a newcomer to space. He became a member of the second batch of Chinese astronauts in 2010.

Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu will be the backup crew, Ji said.

The Shenzhou-12 spaceship will conduct a fast autonomous rendezvous and docking with the space station core module Tianhe and form a complex with Tianhe and the cargo craft Tianzhou-2.

China launched Tianhe on April 29 and Tianzhou-2 on May 29. The two completed a computer-orchestrated rendezvous and docking on May 30, waiting for the first crewed mission to unpack the cargo.

TOUGHER TASKS

The Shenzhou-12 astronauts are expected to set a new record for China's manned space mission duration and their work is also more complicated and challenging than previous crewed missions, said CMSA director Hao Chun.

According to Ji, in the Shenzhou-12 mission, the crew will complete four major tasks in orbit.

First, they will operate and manage the complex, including the in-orbit test of the Tianhe module, validation of the recycling and life support system, testing and operation training of the robotic arm, as well as management of materials and waste.

Second, they will move, assemble and test extravehicular spacesuits and perform two extravehicular activities for work including assembling an extravehicular toolbox, lifting the panoramic camera and installing extended pump sets.

Third, they will carry out space science experiments and technology experiments, as well as public outreach activities.

Fourth, they will manage their own health through daily life care, physical exercise, and regular monitoring and assessment of their own health status.

The astronauts have all carried out solid ground training and mission preparation under comprehensive training programs and plans, Ji said.

COLORFUL SPACE LIFE

The Tianhe module will provide the astronauts three times as much space as what was available in the Tiangong-2 space lab, with three independent bedrooms and one bathroom.

Meanwhile, the astronauts can choose from more than 120 kinds of space food that not only taste good but provide balanced nutrition with a long shelf-life.

The dining area is equipped with food heating device, refrigerator, water dispenser and folding table. In the exercise area, the treadmill and spin bike provide them exercise to maintain physical health.

The two-way video communication and e-mails between the station and ground control will be realized through the space communication link and video communication equipment.

Compared with previous crewed missions, the core module of the space station is, for the first time, equipped with a life support system, including subsystems for electrolytic oxygen generation, condensate water collection and treatment, urine treatment, carbon dioxide removal, and the removal of trace amounts of harmful gas to ensure the long-term in-orbit stay of astronauts, Ji said.

Source: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-06/16/c_1310010886.htm

Viewers in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro will be able to receive compelling content from SES’ orbital location at 23.5 degrees East

Luxembourg, 15 November 2018 -- Viewers in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro will soon have access to new content delivered by Telekom Srbija from SES’ key orbital location at 23.5 degrees East. SES announced today that the main telecommunication operator in Serbia has signed a multi-year and multi-transponder contract for service on its Astra satellite to launch Telekom Srbija’s new Direct-to-Home (DTH) platform which will start broadcasting in all three countries simultaneously mid-December.

The new DTH platform will enable Telekom Srbija to broadcast more than 150 channels, including up to 30 in High Definition (HD). All Serbian public television channels will also be available on the platform, bringing a complete selection of content to viewers in the market. Additional channels will be offered as Free-to-Air for viewers.  

Viewers will also benefit from technology improvements in their home. Telekom Srbija has chosen cardless set-top boxes for this service, and for those that don’t have reception equipment already this platform will be accessible using a small 60cm dish.

Telekom Srbija, a long-term partner of SES, began working with SES in 2011 and earlier this year moved their complete channel bouquet to SES satellites at SES’ 23.5 degrees East orbital location, ensuring the largest possible audience reach. SES serves nearly 2.9 million DTH homes in Europe from 23.5 degrees East.

“We are pleased to be launching such an important DTH platform with SES,” said Marijana Vukasinovic, Head of Content Management at Telekom Srbija. “As we embark on our most ambitious project yet, we have complete confidence thanks to the quality of service and experience SES brings to the table. We look forward to fostering growth in the local broadcasting landscape by bringing a powerful new platform to viewers.”

“The former Yugoslavian countries are a dynamic growth market that SES has been focused on for several years, and we are glad to be strengthening our relationship with Telekom Srbija,” said Martin Ornass-Kubacki, Vice President, Central Eastern Europe, Sales at SES Video. “Our orbital location at 23.5 degrees East is SES' fastest-growing orbital position for central and eastern Europe and the Benelux countries, with many pan-European operators broadcasting their content from there.” 

SES increases its reach in Georgia to 562 000 TV homes

The number of video households served by SES has continued to increase, reaching 351 million TV homes in 2017 according to SES’s annual market research, Satellite Monitor. This substantial technical reach, compared with 325 million households in 2016, means that SES is now delivering video content to more than 1 billion global viewers.

Out of the 351 million TV homes, SES directly reaches 145 million, and indirectly serves another 147 million cable homes, 40 million IPTV homes, and 18 million terrestrial homes.

The Satellite Monitor study, conducted for the first time in Georgia in 2015 and providing insights into the Georgian TV market, reveals that SES has increased its reach to 562 000 TV homes in the country, which includes direct reach (DTH), and indirect reach (cable and IPTV). This represents 24% growth compared to last year. SES provides services to approximately 132 000 homes that are subscribed to the MagtiSat TV offers, up from 124 000 homes last year. In addition, the study shows that SES serves 34% of satellite HDTV homes in Georgia.

The SES Satellite Monitor YE2017 results show that satellite is by far the leading TV reception mode in Georgia, reaching 44% of TV homes directly, or over 480 000 DTH homes. This compares with 15%, 16% and 25% for cable, terrestrial and IPTV reception modes respectively.
After the digital switch-over which took place in June 2015, analogue TV signals have been rapidly replaced by digital. The survey shows that only 12 000 Georgian TV homes remain with analogue cable TV reception mode, compared to 50 000 homes last year.
The results of the study also indicate a growing uptake of HD and UHD, as 48% of homes own an HD or UHD TV set in YE2017, which compares to 38% in YE2016.

The Satellite Monitor shows that Europe continues to be a strong and resilient market where satellite broadcasting is a highly attractive platform for reliable and cost-effective video delivery to large audiences. SES now reaches 167 million TV homes in Europe, up from 156 million in 2016. This growth is mainly driven by the addition of Turkey and in the Maghreb countries, which together represent an increase of 10 million TV homes. Technical reach across the core markets in Europe was stable.

The study also shows the key role of SES in delivering HD content: today, SES delivers HD content to 107 million homes, which represents two thirds of all European TV homes enjoying HD. As the leading HD platform, SES carries 2,602 HD channels worldwide, out of 7,709 channels in total. In Europe, SES delivers 2,670 TV channels, including 798 in HD.

“With its high percentage of TV homes (97.4%), Georgia is an important developing market for us. We believe that satellite is an optimal TV reception mode in the country with its numerous remote areas. The Satellite Monitor results demonstrate once again that satellite is the central pillar of the Georgian digital broadcasting infrastructure,” said Håkan Sjödin, Vice President, Sales Nordic, Baltic and Eastern Europe at SES.

About SES

SES is a world-leading satellite operator and the first to deliver a differentiated and scalable GEO-MEO offering worldwide, with more than 50 satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and 16 in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). SES focuses on value-added, end-to-end solutions in two key business units: SES Video and SES Networks. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators, governments and institutions. SES’s portfolio includes ASTRA, O3b and MX1, a leading media service provider that offers a full suite of innovative digital video and media services. SES is listed on the Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange (ticker: SESG). Further information available at: www.ses.com

SES to Enable NBC Olympics to Transmit High Dynamic Range Signal Across the United States During Its Coverage of 2018 PyeongChang Olympics

STAMFORD, CONN. – February 13, 2018 – NBC Olympics, a division of the NBC Sports Group, has selected SES to provide 4K High Dynamic Range (HDR) satellite distribution for its production of the XXIII Olympic Winter Games, which take place in PyeongChang, South Korea, from February 8 - February 25. The announcement was made today by David Mazza CTO & SVP, NBC Olympics, and Steve Corda, Vice President, North America Media Platform, SES.

SES will use its satellite platform to distribute the NBC Olympics HDR feed to their affiliates throughout the United States, utilizing the SES-1 satellite located at 101 degrees West. As part of the implementation, SES has provided preconfigured satellite receivers to the affiliates that will be receiving the HDR feed. SES’s 4K platform provides multichannel video program distributors (MVPDs) in the United States access to the world’s largest bouquet of linear 4K programming.

“NBC Olympics is pleased to work with SES to offer 4K HDR coverage of the PyeongChang Games to our valued distribution partners,” said Mazza. “The HDR feed distributed by SES, and presented by Xfinity, will complement our HDR Video On Demand offering available to MVPDs and satellite providers across the United States.”

“We are pleased that NBC has entrusted SES again, similar to the 2016 Summer Olympics, to help deliver the 4K programming for these Olympic Winter Games,” said Corda. “Our 4K platform provides MVPDs throughout the Americas access to the world’s largest selection of linear 4K programming.”

NBC Olympics will distribute 4K HDR coverage, provided by Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) and Japan’s NHK, to U.S. distribution partners who will individually choose how they will make the content available to their customers.

NBC’s 4K HDR coverage of the PyeongChang Games will be made available on delay, and will include 4K footage from the Opening Ceremony, hockey, figure skating, short track speed skating, ski jumping, and snowboard big air competitions. Up to four events from the previous day’s competition will be provided daily from February 10, the day after the Opening Ceremony, through February 26, the day after the Games conclude.

Xfinity is the presenting sponsor of NBC Olympics’ 4K coverage of the PyeongChang Games.

For more information about NBC Olympics’ 4K coverage of the PyeongChang Games, click here.

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About NBC Olympics

A division of the NBC Sports Group, NBC Olympics is responsible for producing, programming and promoting NBCUniversal's Olympic coverage. It is renowned for its unsurpassed Olympic heritage, award-winning production, and ability to aggregate the largest audiences in U.S. television history.

For more information on NBC Olympics’ coverage of the PyeongChang Olympics, please visit: http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/

About SES

SES is the world-leading satellite operator and the first to deliver a differentiated and scalable GEO-MEO offering worldwide, with more than 50 satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and 12 in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). SES focuses on value-added, end-to-end solutions in two key business units: SES Video and SES Networks. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators, governments and institutions. SES’s portfolio includes ASTRA, O3b and MX1, a leading media service provider that offers a full suite of innovative digital video and media services. SES is listed on the Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange (ticker: SESG). Further information available at: www.ses.com

Managed Service solution will be installed at gateways worldwide, providing flexible throughput usage and broader coverage for mobility customers globally

 Luxembourg, 5 December 2017 – Customers of SES’s geostationary (GEO) High Throughput Satellite (HTS) services will have greater flexibility and control of their capacity following the deployment of the iDirect Velocity® ground infrastructure, developed by VT iDirect, a global leader in IP based satellite communications, SES announced today.

 The iDirect Velocity infrastructure will be deployed across three HTS systems -- SES-12, SES-14 and SES-15 -- enabling SES Networks to host and provide modular and scalable solutions for its partners and customers, initially for SES Maritime+ services, and then as a multi-application service platform for the fixed and mobility markets. 

 SES is deploying the iDirect Velocity infrastructure across the HTS gateway locations around the globe, allowing SES Networks to offer fully managed end-to-end services, or to delegate control of capacity and other key parameters to customers who, in turn, can do the same for their own customers. The SES Networks Global Services teams across numerous Network Operations Centres (NOCs) and its partners will have unprecedented insight into global bandwidth resources and maximum flexibility for resource allocation.

 SES HTS satellites will first leverage iDirect Velocity-based services with leading maritime customers and others using traffic-intensive data applications in the Americas region. Upcoming HTS systems will expand SES Networks’ mobility and other data connectivity services in the Asia-Pacific region, including rapidly growing markets such as India and Indonesia, and will support existing VSAT services in the Americas and the North Atlantic Region. 

 The iDirect Velocity platform was designed to address the unique infrastructure needs of HTS networks, and optimised to enable the delivery of tiered managed services that are needed for customers over such a data-heavy network. This will enable SES to provide high bandwidth allocation and increased flexibility to its customers with variable pricing options. Customers will be able to utilise assets across the entire SES fleet and use contracted capacity no matter where their needs may be around the world.

 “The technology partnership with VT iDirect allows SES Networks to provide the best possible experience and service flexibility for our partners and customers,” said John-Paul Hemingway, Executive Vice President of Product, Marketing and Strategy for SES Networks. “A mobility customer that has 500Mbps over our fleet now has the ability to seamlessly use that capacity anywhere around the world. It is a great step forward in providing the best experience possible for our customers.”

 “iDirect Velocity is the leading HTS platform in the market today and provides a seamless high-throughput, high-quality experience over a spot-beam satellite architecture,” said David Harrower, Senior Vice President Global Sales, VT iDirect. “SES Networks’ customers can support multiple types of business models and markets from a single platform, increasing their revenue potential and profitability.” 

Gilat Telecom contracts more than 3 Gbps on SES Networks’ O3b satellite fleet to serve the ever-growing needs ofbusinesses and consumers in the country

Luxembourg, 8 September 2017 – SES Networks’ longtime customer in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gilat Telecom, has expanded the satellite capacity under contract with SES Networks in the country, now topping more than 3.0 Gbps.

Gilat has been providing Kinshasa, the capital and largest city in DRC, with expansive internet connectivity services for many years, and has seen unprecedented network reliability and resiliency from the SES Networks service. The company has now also launched service over SES’s O3b Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite fleet to a second DRC location, bringing fiber-equivalent internet to customers in Lubumbashi.

Gilat Telecom is based in Israel, and offers satellite and fiber-based connectivity services in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Gilat first deployed SES Networks’ ultra-low latency, high throughput connectivity in 2014, following the launch of the first four satellites in the O3b Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) fleet, becoming the first to use the new connectivity in Africa, and the second worldwide. Since that time, Gilat has seen strong and steady customer growth in DRC as customers have responded to the high-performance internet service and the applications it enables, and has effectively become one of the largest MEO satellite solutions users in the world.

As the need for reliable connectivity has expanded in DRC, SES Networks worked with Gilat to implement a diverse routing solution to further increase network uptime and availability. With this solution, ground terminals were placed in multiple locations throughout the region, and an advanced intelligent routing platform was implemented to enable intelligent switching across multiple satellite links resulting in extremely high link availability.

“For years, improving connectivity has been a high priority for us and we have been incredibly impressed with the speed and quality of our service through SES Networks,” said Dan Zajicek, CEO of Gilat Telecom. “We chose SES Networks’ MEO Satellites because of its unique ability to rival fiber performance, without having to rely on any land-based link from a neighbouring country. We look forward to many more years of partnership with SES Networks, and leveraging the company’s unrivalled breadth of connectivity solutions to expand the reach of internet and mobile connectivity in DRC.” 

“We are proud to celebrate this milestone of three years of service with Gilat,” said Carole Kamaitha, Vice President of Africa Sales at SES Networks. “Our shared commitment to expanding and improving connectivity has enabled us to break through barriers together, and design creative and unique solutions for DRC. Moving forward, we are eager to work even more with Gilat, leveraging the diverse capabilities of SES Networks for the benefit of customers in Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and across DRC.”

SES draws on its extensive satellite fleet to rapidly restore customer services

LUXEMBOURG, 27 June 2017 - SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) announced that it has been able to draw on its global satellite fleet of over 50 geostationary satellites to rapidly restore customers capacity following a significant anomaly affecting the AMC-9 satellite on Saturday 17 June 2017.

SES immediately engaged with customers and was able to quickly offer a restoration capacity plan to transfer services to alternative satellites and minimise disruption. By late evening on Sunday 18 June 2017, the majority of the traffic had already been restored.

With the benefit of its global satellite network, SES was able to adjust its fleet deployment plan and offer solutions to affected customers with the use of existing assets. SES is currently taking steps to relocate additional assets to 83 degrees West, to support customers’ requirements.

SES continues to work with the manufacturer to identify the root cause of the anomaly, as well as any possible options to recover the spacecraft. Thanks to the restoration plan, the potential impact on SES’s full year 2017 group revenue is expected to be lower than EUR 20 million, which includes the potential reduction in available fleet transponders for future commercialisation. The one-off impairment charge is expected to be EUR 38 million.

“SES wishes to thank all of its affected customers for their understanding and cooperation. In addition, SES wishes to thank the FCC for its support over the weekend, by providing the necessary approvals to help put in effect the needed solutions” said Martin Halliwell, SES Chief Technology Officer. “Beyond AMC-9 status, SES continues to work towards a long term plan of capacity replacement.”

“The AMC-9 restoration strategy demonstrates one of the many benefits of working with a satellite operator with a large global fleet,” said Anand Chari, Gogo Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. “All networks, satellite and terrestrial, can occasionally suffer such rare mishaps. SES’s ability to recover so quickly and effectively is a compelling testament to the size and flexibility of its fleet, the professionalism of its people, and the operational processes in place to ensure the resiliency needed to keep businesses, such as Gogo, running seamlessly.”

SES-10 at 67 degrees West will provide direct-to-home broadcasting, enterprise and mobility services across Latin America

KENNEDY SPACE CENTRE, FLORIDA, 30 MARCH 2017 -- SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) announces that the SES-10 satellite was successfully launched into space onboard a flight-proven SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 18:27 EST from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre, Florida. SES-10 is the first geostationary commercial satellite to ever launch on a flight-proven first-stage rocket booster.

With a Ku-band payload of 55 36MHz transponder equivalents, of which 27 are incremental, the multi-mission spacecraft is the first SES satellite wholly dedicated to providing service to Latin America. SES-10's high-powered beams will augment SES’s capabilities across the region providing direct-to-home broadcasting, enterprise and mobility services.

SES-10 will replace capacity currently provided by other SES satellites at 67 degrees West, as well as bring additional capacity to Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

Pursuant to an agreement with the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru), the satellite will operate as the Andean Community’s Simón Bolivar 2 providing satellite capacity for each Andean Member State. The Andean satellite project comes from the shared Member States’ interests of having a common satellite network taking advantage of the Andean spectrum resources at 67 degrees West.

“The successful launch of SES-10 on SpaceX's first ever mission using a flight-proven rocket is opening up a new era of spaceflight. We are proud to have partnered with SpaceX on this journey of innovating and using reusable rockets that will make access to space more efficient in terms of cost and manifest management," said Martin Halliwell, Chief Technology Officer at SES. “The additional capacity offered by SES-10 is ideal for providing additional TV services with better picture quality as well as faster broadband services – both of which will be welcomed by millions of people throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.”

“We are thrilled to have achieved the successful launch of a flight proven Falcon 9. This is an historic milestone on the path to complete and rapid reusability,” said Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO at SpaceX “We are pleased to have accomplished this milestone with SES, which has been a strong supporter of SpaceX and innovation over the years.”

SES-10 is built by Airbus Defence and Space and is based on the Eurostar E3000 platform. The satellite will utilise an electric plasma propulsion system for on-orbit manoeuvres and a chemical system for initial orbit raising and some on-orbit manoeuvres.

About SES

SES is the world-leading satellite operator and the first to deliver a differentiated and scalable GEO-MEO offering worldwide, with more than 50 satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and 12 in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). SES focuses on value-added, end-to-end solutions in four key market verticals (Video, Enterprise, Mobility and Government). It provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators, governments and institutions, and businesses worldwide. SES’s portfolio includes the ASTRA satellite system, which has the largest Direct-to-Home (DTH) television reach in Europe, and O3b Networks, a global managed data communications service provider. Another SES subsidiary, MX1, is a leading media service provider and offers a full suite of innovative digital video and media services. Further information available at: www.ses.com

About the Andean Community
The Andean Community is a multi-national integration process founded in 1969 under the Cartagena Agreement. CAN is comprised of four Member States: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The Andean Community’s integration process includes several institutions all with the objective of strengthening integration of the Member States and achieving more balanced and autonomous socio- economic development. Telecommunications development is a priority for the Andean Community and is considered a cornerstone of this integration process. For the Andean Community, this launch represents a significant milestone towards meeting the objectives of the Cartagena Agreement and, in particular, the goal of regional integration.