The Andean Community visit to SES. Photo: SES

[Via Satellite 09-22-2015] SES has launched its annual training for the Andean Community, a customs union in South America. A total of 15 delegates representing each member state, and the general secretariat of the Andean Community, arrived at the SES headquarters in Betzdorf, Luxembourg, on Sept. 21 for the five-day training session on satellite communications.

Participants will start with an introductory overview of the satellite communications industry and then progress through a series of sessions that cover the lifecycle of a satellite. Technical, operational, business, and regulatory matters will all be covered. Participants will conclude the training with a hands-on exercise where they will design a value proposition and business model for a satellite network.

SES is launching a Ku-band satellite, SES 10, next year that will cover Latin America, the Caribbean, and the four members of the Andean Community: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Airbus Defence and Space is building the satellite, and SpaceX is to launch it to 67 degrees west, where it will replace the AMC 3 and AMC 4 satellites in 2016.

“The training will enable member countries of the Andean Community to optimize SES 10’s coverage,” said Gerhard Bethscheider, managing director at SES Techcom Services, a wholly owned SES subsidiary, which is in charge of the training. “By interacting directly with our experts, the delegates will develop their knowledge and gain a deep insight into the workings of a satellite. These sessions will also open the doors for potential future partnerships between the Andean Community and SES in areas like disaster response communications and e-health.”