Falcon 9 rocket just after lift off, carrying the EchoStar 105/SES 11 satellite. Photo: SpaceX.

SpaceX has successfully launched the EchoStar 105/SES 11 satellite from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After deploying the satellite to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) yesterday evening, SpaceX completed another smooth re-landing of the rocket’s first stage on one of the company’s drone ships off the coast of Cape Canaveral.

Built by Airbus, EchoStar 105/SES 11 is a dual-mission satellite, providing SES with 24 C-band transponders of 36 MHz and EchoStar with 24 Ku-band transponders of 36 MHz. The satellite replaces C-band capacity for AMC 18 and Ku-band capacity for AMC 15 at the 105 degrees west orbital slot.

SES intends to use SES 11 to deliver High Definition (HD) and Ultra-HD channels. It offers comprehensive coverage over North America, including Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean. According to the company, the satellite’s C-band capacity is optimized for digital television delivery, and will join SES 1 and SES 3 at the center of SES’ North American orbital arc, which reaches more than 100 million TV homes.

EchoStar 105 will provide EchoStar Ku-band transponder capacity with coverage of the 50 U.S. states and expanded reach to the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean for satellite communications services for the company’s enterprise, media and broadcast, and U.S. government service provider customers.