SES-5

Names	SES-5 (2011-present) Astra 4B (2010-2011) Sirius 5 (2008-2010)
Mission type	Communications
Operator	SES Sirius AB / SES World Skies / SES S.A.
COSPAR ID	2012-036A
SATCAT no.	38652
Website	https://www.ses.com/
Mission duration	15 years (planned) 11 years, 9 months, 22 days (elapsed)
Spacecraft properties
Bus	SSL 1300
Manufacturer	Space Systems/Loral
Launch mass	6,086 kg (13,417 lb) [1]
Start of mission
Launch date	9 July 2012, 18:38:30 UTC
Rocket	Proton-M / Briz-M
Launch site	Baikonur, Site 81/24
Contractor	Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center
Entered service	September 2012
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Geostationary orbit
Longitude	5° East
Transponders
Band	60 transponders: 24 C-band 36 Ku-band
Bandwidth	C-band: 36 MHz Ku-band: 33-36 MHz
Coverage area	Atlantic Ocean Sub-Saharan Africa North Africa Europe Middle East
Astra constellation ← Astra 1N Astra 2F →

SES-5 (also known as Astra 4B and Sirius 5) is a commercial geostationary communication satellite operated by SES S.A. It was launched on 9 July 2012. The launch was arranged by International Launch Services (ILS).

History

In October 2008, SES Sirius AB of Sweden (then 90% owned by SES and prior to 2003 called Nordic Satellite AB) ordered the Sirius 5 satellite from Space Systems/Loral.^[2] Following full acquisition by SES in 2010, SES Sirius was renamed SES Astra (a subsidiary of SES) and the satellite renamed Astra 4B.^[3] In 2011, SES Astra was merged back into SES and the satellite renamed SES-5.^[4][5]

Satellite description

It was constructed by Space Systems/Loral, and is based on the SSL 1300 satellite bus. It carries 24 C-band and 36 Ku-band transponders. It covers Atlantic Ocean, Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, Europe, Middle East.^[4][6]

EGNOSS payload

SES 5 is also carrying a hosted payload L-band navigation terminal for the executive commission of the 27-nation European Union. The terminal operated as part of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) system, which provides verification of Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation signals through the use of satellites in geostationary orbit.^[7]

Launch

Sirius 5 was the original name of the SES-5 satellite. SES-5 that was launched on 9 July 2012, at 18:38:30 UTC from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Site 81/24 and is now co-located with Astra 4A (Sirius 4) at 5° East. This satellite provides a similar European and African coverage as Astra 4A.