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| Operator | SES New Skies |
|---|---|
| Mission duration | 15 years (planned) Failed to orbit |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | BSS-702 |
| Manufacturer | Boeing |
| Launch mass | 5,920 kilograms (13,050 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 30 January 2007, 23:22 UTC |
| Rocket | Zenit-3SL Flight 24 |
| Launch site | Odyssey |
| Contractor | Sea Launch |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Geostationary |
| Longitude | 57° East |
| Epoch | Planned |
| Transponders | |
| TWTA power | 18 kW |
NSS-8 was a Dutch telecommunications satellite that was destroyed during launch. It was a Boeing 702 spacecraft with 56 C-band and 36 Ku-band transponders, and it was part of the SES NEW SKIES.
The satellite, which was insured, was destroyed when the rocket that was launching it exploded. The rocket was a Zenit 3SL being launched by Sea Launch from its Ocean Odyssey launch pad. The launch attempt occurred at 23:22 GMT on 30 January 2007. "There was an explosion as we were lifting off," said Paula Korn, a spokeswoman for Sea Launch.[1][2]
NSS-8 was designed to support a wide range of functions, including broadcast applications, government and military operations, corporate communications and Broadband Internet services. When placed in its final orbital position (57° E), the satellite would have provided coverage to two-thirds of the planet, serving countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and Asia.