The first of the company’s C-band satellites, which is dedicated to freeing up the lower 300MHz of C-band spectrum is built by Thales Alenia Space and will opwerate in the 135 degrees West orbital slot.
SES says it will deliver TV and radio to millions of American homes, while also providing other critical data transmission services.
It will begin operations by early August 2022.
“We are thrilled with the successful launch of SES-22, thanks to our partners at Thales Alenia Space and SpaceX,” said Steve Collar, CEO of SES.
“The launch of SES-22, together with other upcoming C-band satellite launches scheduled this year, will enable us to continue providing the high-quality services that our customers have been accustomed to over the last several decades, while freeing up spectrum that will enable the US to rapidly unlock the promise of 5G.”
The launch of SES-22 is part of a broader programme set out by the FCC to clear a portion of C-band spectrum to enable wireless operators to deploy 5G services across the contiguous US.
In response to a mandate from the regulator, satellite operators must transition their existing services from the lower 300MHz to the upper 200MHz of C-band spectrum in order to make room for 5G.
SES will launch five satellites thie year in order to meet the FCC’s deadline of clearing C-band spectrum which is currently December 2023.
