SES S.A. reports that the SES-4 satellite has arrived at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, where it is being processed for launch aboard an ILS Proton Breeze M vehicle provided by International Launch Services (ILS).

The SES-4 satellite was designed and built for SES by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), a leading provider of commercial satellites. The launch is scheduled to take place in late December.

4, which will be the 50th satellite in the global SES fleet will also be the largest, most powerful SES satellite, designed to expand and enhance the company's ability to provide Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) to the Americas, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

The spacecraft is a state-of-the-art, hybrid C- and Ku-band satellite that will replace the NSS-7 satellite at 338 degrees East longitude.

SES-4 is a 20-kilowatt satellite with 52 C-band and 72 Ku-band transponders. It has C-band beams serving the eastern hemisphere of Europe and Africa, full coverage of the Americas, and a global beam to support mobile and maritime customers.

Four high-power, regional Ku-band beams will provide service to Europe, the Middle East, West Africa, North America, and South America with extensive channel switching capability between C- and Ku-band transponders for enhanced connectivity.

This new satellite is based on the flight-proven Space Systems/Loral 1300 platform and designed to deliver services for 15 years or more.

"With SES-4 at launch base, we will soon be ready to provide enhanced services to customers on four continents," said Martin Halliwell, Chief Technology Officer of SES.

"We are very happy with our close collaborative relationship with Space Systems/Loral and look forward to a successful launch on ILS Proton."

"This satellite is a reflection of the commitment to quality and performance that SES and Space Systems/Loral share," said John Celli, President of Space Systems/Loral.

"We are very pleased that SES-4 is now at launch base and we are continuing to work together on the next satellite to be added to the SES fleet, SES-5."