SES-10 is the 10th Eurostar satellite ordered by SES, as well as the 10th Eurostar satellite from Airbus Defence and Space to use electrical propulsion

20 February 2014

Airbus Defence and Space, the world’s second largest space company, has won a contract with SES one of the world’s leading satellite operators, for the design and construction of the latest addition to its fleet, the SES-10. The new satellite will be based on the ultra-reliable Eurostar E3000 platform from Airbus Defence and Space. “This new contract is a significant win for Airbus Defence and Space and further reinforces our long-standing relationship with SES, which has today asked us to build their 10th Eurostar satellite,” said François Auque, Head of Space Systems. “This order also demonstrates our customers’ faith in our electrical propulsion technology for station-keeping, a technology that we are among the few in the world to be able to demonstrate in orbit, something we have now been doing for 10 years.”

Romain Bausch, President and CEO of SES, states: “We are pleased to work once again with our longstanding supplier Airbus Defence and Space on the SES-10 mission. SES-10 will provide our customers in Latin America with fresh, high power satellite capacity for multiple applications at an established orbital slot.”

SES-10 will be placed in geostationary orbit at 67° West, where it will provide SES with additional capacity for direct-to-home TV broadcasting and other telecommunication services for Mexico, Caribbean, Central America and South America. It will carry a payload of 50 high-power Ku-band transponders.

SES-10 will be equipped with a dual chemical and electrical propulsion system. At launch, it will have a mass of 5,300 kg and an electrical power of 13 kW. The satellite will also be equipped with flexible, frequency-agile remote-control receivers, making for a more robust satellite operations ground control link. It is designed for a nominal in-orbit life of more than 15 years.

SES-10 is the 10th satellite built by Airbus Defence and Space to use electrical propulsion for station-keeping.