KOUROU, French Guiana--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SES WORLD SKIES, an SES company (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG), announces that the NSS-12 satellite successfully roared into space on-board an Ariane 5 ECA booster from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on October 29 at 5:00 p.m. local time (8:00 p.m. GMT). Approximately 27 minutes after lift-off the spacecraft separated from the Ariane 5 upper stage and was placed into geostationary transfer orbit. Initial signals from NSS-12 were received at a control station in Uralla, Australia at 8:32 p.m. GMT.

NSS-12 was manufactured by Space Systems/Loral, with launch services on-board Ariane 5 provided by Arianespace. The spacecraft, procured by SES Satellite Leasing Limited in the Isle of Man, is poised to be the 41^th satellite in SES’ global fleet.

Rob Bednarek, President and CEO of SES WORLD SKIES, stated: “The flawless launch of NSS-12 allows us to ensure seamless continuity for a variety of customers at the key orbital position of 57 degrees East and considerably increases our capacity on-orbit. Our thanks for a mission well accomplished go to the skilled engineering and operations teams of Arianespace, Space Systems/Loral and SES ENGINEERING. After NSS-9 in February, this is the second successful Ariane 5 launch of an SES satellite in 2009.”

“NSS-12 will be the 59^th Space Systems/Loral satellite now orbiting the earth,” said John Celli, President and Chief Operating Officer of Space Systems/Loral. “Congratulations to SES WORLD SKIES and Arianespace for another flawless launch. Every completed satellite and successful launch is an exciting achievement and a testament to our companies’ ability to collaborate as a team.”

Immediately following the successful launch of NSS-12, Jean-Yves Le Gall, Chairman & CEO of Arianespace, said: “Arianespace is especially proud of carrying out this 32nd successful launch for the SES group, one of the world’s leading satellite operators. Since the launch of their first satellite in 1988, we have developed an exceptional relationship with SES, by offering services and solutions custom-tailored to their needs. I would like to personally thank SES for their long-standing confidence, and for having once again chosen Arianespace, the global benchmark in satellite launch services.”

About NSS-12

The powerful, state-of-the-art NSS-12 satellite will provide comprehensive and robust coverage of some of the world’s fastest-growing markets. The spacecraft replaces NSS-703 at 57 degrees East and covers virtually the entire Eastern Hemisphere, bringing increased capacity and transmission power to a key orbital location at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia. NSS-12 features 40 C-band transponders and 48 Ku-band transponders with DTH power levels, as well as elaborate beam interconnectivity and C-/Ku-band cross-strapping. The spacecraft will deliver DTH power and performance through four regional Ku-band spot beams over the Middle East and Europe, Central and South Asia and, for the first time, East Africa. The satellite’s high-capacity, high-power C-band hemispheric beams – one covering Europe, Africa (including Mauritius) and the Middle East, and the other stretching across Asia to Australia – have been augmented by a powerful C-band global beam spanning from the UK to the Far East. The satellite reaches an estimated two-thirds of the world’s population.

About SES WORLD SKIES
SES WORLD SKIES is the new global division of SES, created through the combination of the former SES NEW SKIES and SES AMERICOM. The company operates a fleet of 25 satellites - part of the 40 spacecraft of the SES group - delivering services as diverse as television distribution and broadcast, internet access, data transmission and business and government communications to customers worldwide. SES WORLD SKIES currently has five additional satellites under construction. The company’s unique customer-focused approach allows it to offer the best satellite solutions for a host of business and government requirements, with a view toward helping customers meet their short-term challenges and realize their longer-term goals. SES WORLD SKIES comprises a world-class team of customer care and technical professionals located in Princeton (NJ), The Hague, Washington D.C., Singapore, Beijing, London, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, Sydney, Accra and Johannesburg. Visit www.ses.com for more information.

About SES
SES (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) wholly owns the market-leading satellite operators SES ASTRA and SES WORLD SKIES, 90% of SES SIRIUS in Europe, and strategic participations in Ciel in Canada and QuetzSat in Mexico. SES provides outstanding satellite communications solutions via a global fleet of 40 satellites in 26 orbital locations. For further information: www.ses.com