SES/Intelsat to order 8 satellites?
May 7, 2019
By Chris Forrester
Intelsat and SES, the two key members of the C-Band Alliance, say they will order 8 new C-band satellites if the FCC gives its approval for the Alliance’s scheme to reallocate 180 MHz of satellite spectrum over the US.
One the opening day of the Satellite 2019 show in Washington DC, the Alliance confirmed its had told the FCC that a provisional contract was in the pipeline and that the satellites would be launched within 36 months of an FCC decision.
SES already has a major contract in place with Boeing for seven O3b ‘mPower’ mid-Earth satellites and to start launching in 2021. The contract allows SES to either pay for each satellite on delivery, or to lease the craft.