SES-17 Successfully Launched on Ariane 5
24.10.2021 07:08:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
SES announced today that the SES-17 satellite was successfully launched into space onboard an Ariane 5 launcher operated by Arianespace from the Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana at 11:10 pm local time (02:10 am UTC).
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211023005019/en/
SES-17 Successfully Launched on Ariane 5 (Photo: Business Wire)
The multi-mission Ka-band satellite will provide comprehensive coverage across the Americas, the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean. From its orbital slot of 67.1 degrees West orbital slot, the very high throughput geostationary (GEO) satellite incorporating cutting-edge technologies is set to deliver the best connectivity experience for SES customers operating in the aeronautical, maritime, enterprise, and government markets.
Built by Thales Alenia Space, SES-17 marks an important milestone in satellite technology as the first Ka-band geostationary satellite to embark a fully digital payload powered the most powerful digital transparent processor (DTP) ever placed in orbit. It will have nearly 200 user beams that can be connected to any other beam at any time. This, combined with the ability to dynamically change the power and frequency allocation of any beam, means that SES-17 can adapt to changing customer needs in real-time.
It is also the first GEO satellite to use Adaptive Resource Control (ARC), an industry-first software system that leverages the full flexibility of totally digital payloads to autonomously adapt space and ground resources on the fly to meet customer needs.
Equipped with an all-electric propulsion system, the satellite will reach orbit as of mid-2022. When operational, anchor customer Thales InFlyt Experience will use SES-17’s connectivity to power its next-generation aviation connectivity solution, FlytLIVE. Thales InFlyt Experience will ensure both crew and passengers will have an always-on high-speed Wi-Fi connection at peak times and in high-traffic routes while optimising bandwidth.
“Today’s launch of SES-17 is an exciting milestone for our FlytLIVE Connectivity Solution currently flying within the United States,” said Craig Olson, Vice President at Thales InFlyt Experience. “The network and satellite architecture was specifically developed for the unique connectivity requirements of our commercial aviation customers and their passengers. With SES-17, FlytLIVE will provide full coverage for the entire Americas and North Atlantic Corridor delivering an unmatched connectivity experience in the air.”
“We are immensely excited to have SES-17 join our GEO fleet and medium earth orbit (MEO) constellation. SES-17 is the fruit of a successful collaboration between the Thales Group, Thales Alenia Space and SES, and will enable us to address the exponential connectivity demands in aviation and maritime, and to accelerate digital inclusion initiatives across the Americas,” said Steve Collar, CEO of SES. “Thanks to Arianespace, SES-17 is now on its way to orbit. We are looking forward to SES customers being able to leverage the high throughput, global reach and low-latency of SES’s multi-orbit, interoperable Ka-band satellite network comprising SES-17 and our upcoming O3b mPOWER constellation.”
“What a launch – SES-17 has mobilised all Thales Alenia Space experts – from the innovative design of the satellite itself to the last combined operations – and is now on its way to orbit. Fully-digital and highly-innovative, SES-17 will benefit from all the state-of-art technologies we have developed to fulfil the market’s connectivity needs,” said Herve Derrey CEO of Thales Alenia Space.
Follow us on:
Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram
Read our Blogs >
Visit the Media Gallery >
About SES
SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless connectivity around the world. As the leader in global content connectivity solutions, SES operates the world’s only multi-orbit constellation of satellites with the unique combination of global coverage and high performance, including the commercially-proven, low-latency Medium Earth Orbit O3b system. By leveraging a vast and intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES is able to deliver high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to the world’s leading telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners. SES’s video network carries over 8,650 channels and has an unparalleled reach of 361 million households, delivering managed media services for both linear and non-linear content. The company is listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at: www.ses.com.
About Thales Alenia Space
Drawing on over 40 years of experience and a unique combination of skills, expertise and cultures, Thales Alenia Space delivers cost-effective solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, environmental management, exploration, science and orbital infrastructures. Governments and private industry alike count on Thales Alenia Space to design satellite-based systems that provide anytime, anywhere connections and positioning, monitor our planet, enhance management of its resources, and explore our Solar System and beyond. Thales Alenia Space sees space as a new horizon, helping to build a better, more sustainable life on Earth. A joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), Thales Alenia Space also teams up with Telespazio to form the parent companies’ Space Alliance, which offers a complete range of services. Thales Alenia Space posted consolidated revenues of approximately 1.85 billion euros in 2020 and has around 7,700 employees in 10 countries with 17 sites in Europe and a plant in the US.
About Thales
Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies, investing in digital and “deep tech” innovations – connectivity, big data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum computing – to build a confident future crucial for the development of our societies. The Group provides its customers – businesses, organisations and governments – in the defense, aeronautics, space, transport, and digital identity and security domains with solutions, services and products that help them fulfil their critical role, consideration for the individual being the driving force behind all decisions.
Thales has 81,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2020 the Group generated sales of €17 billion.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211023005019/en/
Contact information
SES
Suzanne Ong
External Communications
Tel. +352 710 725 500
suzanne.ong@ses.com
Thales Alenia Space
Sandrine Bielecki
Tel.: +33 (0)4 92 92 70 94
sandrine.bielecki@thalesaleniaspace.com
Catherine des Arcis
Tel.: +33 (0)6 78 64 63 97
catherine.des-arcis@thalesaleniaspace.com
Thales Defence & Civil Aerospace
Maria Mellouli
+33 (0) 6 89 73 25 47
maria.mellouli@thalesgroup.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
KiddeFenwal Launches New Website and Information Hub8.7.2026 19:00:00 EEST | Press release
KiddeFenwal, the global leader in the fire suppression and safety controls industry, today unveiled a revitalized website, designed to serve as a comprehensive information hub for fire industry practitioners and customers alike. The modernized platform includes features created specifically with the company’s global partners, OEMs and distributors in mind, including: Accelerated asset navigation, pointing users to critical safety documentation, design parameters and product specifications; Seamless solution mapping, helping users quickly locate fire suppression configurations by industry, from data centers to BESS applications to commercial kitchens; and Enhanced resource access, including streamlined pathways to connect with the company’s elite distributor network across 120 countries. It also provides information about the company’s three brands, Kidde Fire Systems, Kidde Fire Protection and Fenwal Controls, replacing other sites serving customers in Europe and India. The launch of t
Red Sea Global Strengthens AMAALA's Wellness Offering With Opening of Six Senses AMAALA8.7.2026 18:22:00 EEST | Press release
Red Sea Global (RSG), the regenerative tourism developer, has announced the opening of beachfront resort Six Senses AMAALA, which will welcome its first guests mid-July. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260708505794/en/ An aerial view of Six Senses AMAALA and its surrounding shoreline at Triple Bay The launch represents an exciting next step in the AMAALA destination’s journey, as it continues to come to life and welcome guests to enjoy unrivaled wellness experiences set against a backdrop of soaring coastal cliffs, protected bays, pristine beaches, and mountainous desert. "Every partner we bring into our portfolio is selected because they share our long-term vision of luxury travel with regeneration for people and planet at its center. Six Senses has built a global reputation for wellness experiences rooted in nature, sustainability, and local culture, making it a natural fit for AMAALA. As the second Six Sens
Rigaku Opens "Rigaku Solutions Center Osaka" to Strengthen Global Semiconductor Metrology Service Capabilities8.7.2026 18:00:00 EEST | Press release
Rigaku Corporation, a global solution partner in X-ray analytical systems and a group company of Rigaku Holdings Corporation (headquarters: Akishima, Tokyo; CEO: Jun Kawakami; “Rigaku”), has opened the Rigaku Solutions Center Osaka (RSC-Osaka) at its Osaka Plant. The new facility centralizes and expands practical training for field service engineers supporting semiconductor metrology systems, strengthening Rigaku's global service capabilities. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260708402770/en/ Photo: Hands-on training using the TXRF-V310 at RSC-Osaka As semiconductor manufacturing processes continue to advance toward finer geometries, higher layer counts, and more complex three-dimensional structures, semiconductor metrology systems require ever greater precision and operational stability. X-ray analytical technologies play an increasingly important role in meeting these demands through highly accurate, non-dest
Dryad Networks Reaches XPRIZE Wildfire Finals Milestone, Demonstrating Autonomous Detection and Suppression of Wildfires in Alaska8.7.2026 18:00:00 EEST | Press release
Dryad Networks, the leader in ultra-early wildfire detection technology, today announced a major achievement in the finals of the Autonomous Wildfire Response track of XPRIZE Wildfire, a four-year, $11 million global competition accelerating new solutions to end destructive wildfires. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260707802818/en/ The Silvaguard Suppression Drone can deliver a 100 liter liquid suppressant to autonomously suppress small wildfires detected by Silvanet Competing against just two other finalists selected from an original field of nearly 300 teams worldwide, Dryad successfully demonstrated the integrated capabilities of its Silvanet wildfire detection network and Silvaguard autonomous firefighting drone system during final testing in remote Alaska. The XPRIZE Wildfire finals challenged teams to autonomously detect and suppress a wildfire without any human intervention across a vast 1,000 square k
Cardiac Dimensions ® Announces Three Major Publications Demonstrating Long-Term Durability, Real-World Performance, and Broad Patient Benefit of the Carillon Mitral Contour System ®8.7.2026 17:05:00 EEST | Press release
Cardiac Dimensions, a leader in transcatheter therapies for heart failure, today announced the publication of three major manuscripts that together form the most comprehensive evidence base ever assembled for transcatheter indirect mitral annuloplasty. These publications span a five-year multi-center commercial registry, the largest single-center experience across both preserved and reduced ejection fraction, and long-term survival results through ten years. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260707656796/en/ Carillon Mitral Contour System® The Carillon Mitral Contour System is the only commercially available indirect mitral annuloplasty device, designed to treat a broad and expanding population of patients living with functional mitral regurgitation. The newly published data further strengthen the clinical foundation for the therapy as Cardiac Dimensions advances toward regulatory submissions in the United State
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom