spacetoday.net: Atlas 5 launches two SES communications satellites

Posted: Sat, Oct 8, 2022, 12:36 PM ET (1636 GMT)
An Atlas 5 launched two communications satellites for SES Tuesday. The Atlas 5 531 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 5:36 pm EDT (2136 GMT) and deployed the SES-20 and SES-21 satellites into geostationary transfer orbit about six hours later. The satellites, built by Boeing, carry C-band payloads as part of the effort by SES to clear the C-band spectrum for terrestrial uses under an FCC program that will provide SES with nearly $4 billion in incentives if it completes the process by December 2023. Separately, SES lost a suit it filed against Intelsat, claiming the rival operator broke an agreement to share any C-band spectrum proceeds equally. A federal judge ruled last week that SES did not object to the final FCC plan and that there was nothing "unjust" about the FCC's criteria for making payments to operators. SES is considering whether to appeal.