[Satellite TODAY 09-29-09] SES World Skies’ NSS-12 satellite arrived at the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, the company announced Sept. 28.
    NSS-12, manufactured by Space Systems/Loral (SSL), is in final preparations for its launch by Arianespace on Oct. 29.
    NSS-12 will replace NSS-703 at 57 degrees East and cover the Eastern Hemisphere in efforts to provide increased capacity and transmission power to a key orbital location at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia.
    The satellite 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. NSS-12 is based on SS/L’s 1300 platform and has been designed to have a minimum expected lifetime of 15 years.

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