SES-15 is a geostationary communications satellite owned by Luxembourg- based satellite operator SES . The company's first all-electric satellite. The satellite is designed to provide telecommunication services for users of North America , as well as for VSAT networks, maritime and air transport in the Pacific.
| SES-15 | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer |  Boeing |
| Operator |  Ses |
| Tasks | communication satellite |
| Satellite | Of the earth |
| Launch pad | Kourou , |
| Launch vehicle | Soyuz-ST-A / Frigate M |
| Launch | May 18, 2017, 11:54 UTC |
| Flight duration | 2 years, 3 months, 2 days |
| NSSDC ID | 2017-026A |
| SCN | 42709 |
| Specifications | |
| Platform | Boeing 702SP |
| Weight | 2302 kg (at startup) |
| Power | 8 kW |
| The term of active existence | 15 years |
| Elements of the orbit | |
| Orbit type | Geostationary orbit |
| Standing point | 129 ° West |
| Target equipment | |
| Transponders | Ku-band Ka-band |
| Coverage area | North America , Pacific |
| Project site | |
Built on the basis of the latest Boeing 702SP space platform by the American company Boeing , the contract was signed in February 2015 [1] [2] . Power supply is provided by two wings of solar batteries and rechargeable batteries. Satellite power - up to 8 kW . The platform uses the XIPS all- electric propulsion system (Xenon Ion Propulsion System), the working fluid for which is xenon . All orbital maneuvers and adjustments, both for transferring to the geostationary orbit, and for holding the satellite at a standing point, are carried out using this installation, without the use of chemical rocket fuel. The low fuel consumption of the propulsion system can significantly reduce the starting weight of the satellite, but the low thrust of the engines significantly increase the time it takes to enter the working orbit. The expected life of the satellite is 15 years [3] . The launch mass of the satellite is 2302 kg [4] .
The satellite has a mixed payload of high throughput of the Ka- and Ku-band [5] . The satellite is also equipped with the WAAS system, which is used to correct GPS navigation data. The contract was signed with the main contractor, Raytheon , and the system will be used by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) [6] .
The satellite will be located at orbital position 129 ° west longitude [5] .
The launch operator is Arianespace , a contract with it was signed in March 2015 [7] . It was expected that the satellite would be launched by one of the co-passengers on the Arian-5 launch vehicle , but then it was decided to use the Soyuz-ST-A launch vehicle as part of the VS17 mission [8] [9] .
The launch took place on May 18, 2017 at 11:54 UTC with the Soyuz-ST-A booster rocket with the Frigate M booster block from the ELS launch pad at the Kourou Cosmodrome in French Guiana . 5 hours 18 minutes after the launch, the SES-15 satellite was launched into a subsynchronous geo-transition orbit with parameters 2207 × 31 349 km , inclination 5.99 ° [10] [11]
Notes
- ↑ Airbus, Boeing and Orbital ATK Split SES Satellite Order . Space News (February 16, 2015).
- ↑ SES orders SES-15 satellite in North America . SES (February 16, 2015).
- ↑ SES-15 (English) . Boeing
- ↑ SES 15 (English) . Gunter's Space Page .
- ↑ 1 2 SES-15 . Ses .
- ↑ Raytheon Picks SES-15 To Host GPS Augmentation Payload . Space News (April 24, 2015).
- ↑ SES Selects Ariane 5 To Launch SES-15 Satellite . Space News (March 6, 2015).
- ↑ SES 'hybrid SES-15 satellite arrives for Arianespace's next Soyuz mission . Arianespace (March 15, 2017).
- ↑ Block III of the Soyuz-ST launch vehicle was delivered to the Guiana Space Center . JSC "RCC PROGRESS" (March 16, 2017).
- ↑ The 40th SES satellite orbited by Arianespace is lofted on its latest Soyuz mission success . Arianespace (May 18, 2017).
- ↑ Soyuz rocket orbits satellite for airborne navigation and connectivity . Spaceflight Now (May 18, 2017).