An artist’s view of the SES 26 satellite, to be built by Thales Alenia Space. Photo: Thales Alenia Space

SES has ordered a third software-defined Geostationary (GEO) satellite from Thales Alenia Space, the operator announced Monday. 

SES-26 will be a Ku- and C-band satellite to replace SES’s NSS-12 satellite at the 57 degrees East orbital position. It will offer content delivery and connectivity services to broadcasters, media companies, telco, internet service providers, and governmental organizations across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific regions. 

The satellite will be based on the Thales Space Inspire product line which is designed for service reconfiguration, instant in-orbit adjustment for demand, and flexibility for broadcasting and broadband services. 

“For over 20 years, satellites at 57 degrees East have been at the centerpiece of our connectivity network bridging Europe to Africa, the Middle East and Asia. From broadcasting video content across Europe and Africa to delivering connectivity services for aviation, maritime and government, SES-26 underlines our commitment to the growth of our business and to our customers,” said Steve Collar, CEO of SES. 

This follows after SES ordered two GEO Ku-band satellites from Thales in November.