SES GLOBAL successfully launched the AMERICOM-18 (AMC-18) satellite Dec. 8 that becomes the third of three HD satellites operated by SES AMERICOM as part of its HD-PRIME HDTV neighborhood.
AMC-18 will provided “critically needed bandwidth” necessary for the growth of high definition, said Edward Horowitz, president and CEO of SES AMERICOM.
AMC-18, a C-band satellite, will cover North America, including all 50 U.S. states, the Caribbean and Mexico from 105 degrees west longitude. It will join AMC-10 and AMC-11 in the HD-PRIME neighborhood. Both previously launched satellites are near capacity.
The satellite, built by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS), is the 13th A2100-based spacecraft in the AMERICOM fleet. LMCSS is performing the transfer orbit operation to deliver AMC-18 to 80 degrees west. AMERICOM took over the spacecraft to begin in-orbit testing on Dec. 19.
For more information, visit www.ses-americom.com.
