SES launches new SES-5 satellite into orbit; new capacity for sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and Middle East.

The satellite operator SES has launched the new SES-5 satellite into space aboard an ILS Proton Breeze M booster which will be providing fresh new satellite capacity in multiple frequency bands to Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

The satellite was built for SES by Space Systems/Loral and will be serving customers in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in the Nordic and Baltic countries and hemispheric coverage over Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

"It has been a privilege to work with SES on this complex, multi-mission satellite," says John Celli, the president of Space Systems/Loral in a statement. "SES-5 demonstrates the robust capability of the 1300 platform to provide state-of-the-art communications and at the same time host an important payload for the European Commission."