ULA rocket to send 2 SES satellites into orbit
September 23, 2022
By Chris Forrester
The United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) giant Atlas V531 rocket is making its final preparations to send two SES satellites into orbit.
The two craft, SES-20 and SES-21 are both part of the SES obligation to provide TV broadcasting over the US for many US cable and head-end retransmission operators. The satellites are part of the replacement fleet for the frequencies released to the FCC for 5G operations in the US.
The dual satellite launch, subject to the usual weather considerations, is currently scheduled for September 30th at 5.16pm from Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The satellites were both built by Boeing and ordered by SES in June 2020 as part of its C-band 300 MHz replacement effort.
For Boeing the two craft are the first commercial satellites it has delivered since the start of the Covid pandemic. The SES-22 satellite, also part of the FCC replacement role, was launched on June 29 by SpaceX and operates from 135 degrees West.
SES still has to see another two satellites launched under the FCC scheme, SES-18 and SES-19.