With in-orbit testing recently completed aboard its AMC-11 satellite, SES Americom, an SES GLOBAL company, Tuesday announced the A2100 model spacecraft is preparing to join its identical twin in support of HD-PRIME, the first and only two-satellite neighborhood capable of delivering HD to cable headends and consumers nationwide.
The company launched AMC-11 in May to provide its cable programming customers with redundancy protection and a seamless replacement of the current satellite, prior to AMC-11’s planned service commencement in November.
A growing list of top programmers are already scheduled to distribute dozens of standard and high definition channels over AMC-11, the second SES Americom satellite to support the HD-PRIME neighborhood, which initiated service two months ago this week aboard AMC-10.
The impressive roster of programmers distributing, and slated to distribute, a rich schedule of entertaining and informative channels aboard HD-PRIME include Viacom, Discovery Communications, E Networks, A&E Television Networks, Hallmark Channel, iN DEMAND, Lifetime Entertainment, NBC, QVC, Scripps Networks, and The Weather Channel.
Launched on an Atlas IIAS on May 19, AMC-11 will operate from 131 degrees west longitude beginning this fall. Currently located at 146 degrees WL, AMC-11’s initial payload, color bar, SSPAs, and receiver testing indicate great performance.
Bus testing directed and monitored from SES Americom’s earth station in Vernon Valley, New Jersey together with payload testing from the company’s South Mountain facility also point to a stellar start for the state-of-the-art satellite, which will be distributing some of the country’s most popular programming to more than 80 million homes.
“AMC-11 represents SES Americom’s continuous innovation and investment in meeting the needs and exceeding the expectations of our vast range of customers who have signed up to distribute their programming using HD-PRIME, the most reliable and advanced cable delivery platform in the U.S.,” said Dean Olmstead, president and CEO, SES Americom.
“When AMC-11 joins AMC-10 by initiating service later this year, the industry and virtually every cable household will be served like never before, with the reliability and household penetration that only HD-PRIME can deliver.”
The Satellites and HD-PRIME
AMC-10 and AMC-11 are all-C-band satellites, with respective operating orbital slots of 135 degrees west longitude and 131 degrees west longitude. The two A2100 spacecraft have been optimized for next generation programming services, including high definition channels.
Each of the 24 transponders is supported by at least one 20 watt SSPA, delivering almost a 20% increase in power over their predecessors, Satcom C-3 and Satcom C-4.
In addition, a higher level of on-board redundancy plus an in-orbit protection satellite, AMC-7, currently operating at 137 degrees west longitude, will protect the cable programming services.
