Boeing all-electric satellite for SES will help improve in-flight connectivity and enable other traffic-intensive data applications

The Boeing SES-15 satellite, launched today, will bolster connectivity for Wi-Fi and entertainment services on flights over North America, Mexico and Central America. It will also serve the government, enterprise and maritime sectors.

This 702-model satellite also demonstrates that using 3-D printed parts can improve affordability and production. More than 50 such metallic parts are on the vehicle in the primary structure.

“With its all-electric propulsion, and inclusion of 3-D printed hardware, SES-15 is a great example of how we can create efficient and cost-effective products rapidly for customers,” said Mark Spiwak, president, Boeing Satellite Systems International. “In fact, SES-15 was designed, built, tested and delivered to the launch site ahead of schedule.”

This is the fifth Boeing satellite to be deployed with a highly efficient all-electric propulsion system.

SES-15 has a hybrid payload, including additional Ku-band wide beams and Ku-band High Throughput Satellite (HTS) capability, with connectivity to gateways in Ka-band.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) safety efforts will also benefit from the satellite as SES-15 carries a Wide-Area Augmentation System (WAAS) hosted payload for the FAA.

SES has ordered 12 Boeing satellites since 1990, including SES-15. SES-15 is the operator’s first 702 all-electric satellite in its fleet.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., May 18, 2017