Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) reports that the SES-5 satellite, designed and built for SES was Monday and is now performing post-launch maneuvers according to plan. The satellite deployed its solar arrays on schedule following its launch aboard a Proton Breeze M vehicle provided by International Launch Services (ILS) from the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan. The satellite began firing its main thruster on Tuesday in order to start maneuvering into geosynchronous orbit.

SES-5 is a complex, multi-mission satellite that will provide service in four frequency bands to Europe and Africa. It includes an L-band payload for the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), which is an example of SS/L's experience in integrating government and institutional payloads on commercial spacecraft.

"We are pleased to see the successful launch of this complex satellite and the beginning of the post-launch maneuvers," said John Celli, President of Space Systems/Loral. "I'd like to thank everyone at launch base and the teams that saw SES-5 through from design to launch for their hard work and commitment to making this satellite program a success."

SES-5 will be positioned at 5 degrees East longitude where it will deliver high performance Direct-to-Home (DTH) services, broadband, maritime communications, GSM backhaul, and VSAT applications in Europe and Africa.

The EGNOS navigation payload, which was built based on requirements from the European Commission (EC), will augment existing satellite positioning services, and enable global users to benefit from expanded navigation signals, particularly for safety critical aviation and maritime applications.

"Space Systems/Loral has been an important contributor to our recent fleet expansion," said Martin Halliwell, chief technology officer of SES. "State-of-the-art satellites such as SES-5 help us maintain our high-quality service and meet the growing demand for bandwidth around the world."

SES-5 has 36 active Ku-band transponders and two Ku-band beams, one serving customers in the Nordic and Baltic countries and the other serving Sub-Saharan Africa. It also has two C-band beams, one with global coverage and one with hemispheric coverage, which can be operated with up to 24 active C-band transponders.

The satellite also provides Ka-band uplink capability, allowing for flexible operations between Europe and Africa. It is based on SS/L's highly reliable 1300 platform, which is well-suited for multi-mission satellites because of its size and high power capability. With this launch, there are 71 SS/L-built satellites currently on orbit.