SES-12 arrives at Cape Canaveral for SpaceX launch

The SES-12 spacecraft has arrived at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, in preparation for launch on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
SES-12, which is designed with both state-of-the-art wide beams and high throughput beams, will join SES-8 at 95 degrees East to serve SES video and data customers across the Asia-Pacific region. It will replace and augment services currently provided on NSS-6.
Like SES-14 and SES-15, which serve the Americas, SES-12’s high throughput capabilities are SES’s answer to soaring connectivity demand in the aeronautical and maritime segments in the Asia-Pacific region.
Together with SES-8, SES-12 will reach 18 million TV homes from its 95 degrees East orbital position, and will provide pay-TV operators the reliability and scalability to deliver high-quality and immersive viewing experiences and address the ever-increasing audience demand for High Definition (HD) and Ultra HD content.
SES-12 is the largest and most powerful all electric satellite ever produced. It is based on the Eurostar platform in its E3000e variant, which uses electric propulsion for orbit raising (EOR). The related mass saving enables SES-12 to combine two high-capacity missions, equivalent to two conventional satellites, in one satellite.
To fulfill its dual mission, SES-12 features both wide beams and high throughput spot beams to serve diverse connectivity needs.
SES-12 will operate in the Ku and Ka-bands with a total of 76 active transponders and eight antennas. It will have a launch mass of 5,400 kg and an electrical power of 19 kW. It has been designed to remain in service for more than 15 years.
Martin Halliwell, CTO at SES said, “SES-12 was built to meet the dynamic needs of our customers across the Asia-Pacific region, and to empower them to capture massive growth opportunities in their markets. When co-located with SES-8, it will provide incremental high performance capacity and offer greater reliability and flexibility to our video and data customers.”
The SES-12 spacecraft will join SES’s network of seven geostationary satellites and 16 MEO satellites in the Asia-Pacific region to provide unparalleled coverage to over 20 countries.