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| SES-10 | |
|---|---|
| Name | SES-10 |
| Mission type | Communications |
| Operator | SES S.A. |
| COSPAR id | 2017-034A |
| Satcat | 42759 |
| Spacecraft type | Boeing 702SP |
| Manufacturer | Boeing Satellite Development Center |
| Power | 7 kW |
| Launch date | 2017-03-30 |
| Launch rocket | Falcon 9 Full Thrust |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station SLC-40 |
| Orbit reference | Geocentric |
| Orbit regime | Geostationary |
| Trans band | Ku-band, Ka-band |
SES-10 SES-10 is a geostationary communications satellite owned by SES S.A. built by Boeing Satellite Development Center on the Boeing 702 platform variant 702SP. It was launched in 2017 to provide Direct-to-Home and data services to customers in Latin America, replacing capacity previously served by other satellites in the SES fleet. The mission is notable for being among the first commercial satellites launched on a previously flown orbital-class booster recovered by SpaceX.
SES-10 serves as part of the SES S.A. fleet providing Ku-band and Ka-band capacity for broadcasters, telecom operators, and enterprise customers across Latin America, the Caribbean, and parts of North America. Built by Boeing Satellite Development Center using the 702SP design, the spacecraft provides flexible payload routing and high-power transponders to support services for clients including DirecTV, regional broadcasters, and government users involved in telecommunications and disaster response operations. The satellite operates from a geostationary slot delivering continuity for services previously provided by satellites in the SES constellation such as those serving broadcast rights for sporting events like the FIFA World Cup and major media outlets.
SES-10 is based on the Boeing 702SP small-platform architecture designed for stacked payload accommodation and electric propulsion. The spacecraft houses Ku-band and Ka-band transponders and uses electric propulsion similar to systems deployed on JCSAT-16, Eutelsat 172B, and other modern geostationary satellites. Its power subsystem produces approximately 7 kW from deployable solar arrays similar in concept to arrays used on Intelsat and Telesat geosynchronous platforms. The payload includes high-efficiency traveling-wave tube amplifiers comparable to equipment installed on satellites by Thales Alenia Space and SSL (Space Systems Loral). Thermal control and radiation shielding follow practices applied to missions like UFOsat and Hispasat satellites to ensure longevity in the geostationary orbit environment.
SES-10 launched on 30 March 2017 aboard a Falcon 9 Full Thrust rocket operated by SpaceX. The launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station marked a milestone in commercial launch operations by placing a high-value communications satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit while the booster had flown previously on another orbital mission. After separation, the satellite used onboard electric propulsion to perform orbit-raising maneuvers to arrive at its final orbital slot. The mission supported services for television carriers and telecom operators across regions served by satellites such as AMC-15 and Hispasat 30W-4 and contributed capacity for multinational broadcasters covering events like the Pan American Games and sporting rights managed by companies such as Globecast.
Following commissioning, SES-10 entered commercial service to replace aging capacity within the SES fleet, enabling continuity for customers previously on satellites such as SES-6 and SES-8. Its Ku- and Ka-band beams have been used by broadcasters and data-service providers including multinational media companies and satellite-ground network integrators like Eutelsat Communications partners and regional incumbents. SES S.A. has used the platform to deliver services related to maritime connectivity tied to operators similar to Inmarsat and to support emergency communications coordination during regional natural disasters managed by agencies like OAS member states. Over its operational life, the satellite has been monitored by ground stations and network hubs operated by entities such as SES Video and regional teleport operators.
The Falcon 9 booster that launched SES-10 was notable for being a previously flown first stage recovered by SpaceX; the stage had earlier supported missions including those for commercial customers and governmental payloads like those of NASA and Iridium NEXT flights. Recovery operations involved a controlled descent and landing at sea aboard the autonomous spaceport drone ship platform operated by SpaceX, similar to techniques applied on earlier missions and later recovered for reuse on flights involving companies such as Orbcomm and NASA cargo missions to the International Space Station. The mission demonstrated operational reusability workflows involving pad and maritime recovery procedures analogous to recovery campaigns at sites like Kennedy Space Center and landing areas near Vandenberg Air Force Base.
SES-10's launch and the reuse of a previously flown booster intersected with regulatory scrutiny involving export compliance and licensing overseen by agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission and export control policies influenced by frameworks like ITAR and EAR. Contracts and insurance arrangements involved major industry insurers and underwriters akin to those used by satellite operators including Intelsat and Eutelsat Communications, prompting discussions about risk models for reused launch vehicles. The mission also attracted attention in contexts involving spectrum coordination with regional administrations like the International Telecommunication Union member states and orbital slot management issues addressed through filings with organizations such as the International Telecommunication Union and national regulatory authorities in countries served by SES-10.
Category:Communications satellites Category:Spacecraft launched in 2017