SES-14
| Industry | Satellite communications |
|---|---|
Area served | Global |
| Products | Communications satellites, satellite services |
SES-14 is a communications satellite positioned in geostationary orbit at 47.5° West, managed by SES and serving as a successor to NSS-806. Built and developed by Airbus Defence and Space, it was launched on 25 January 2018 at 22:20 UTC, carrying NASA's GOLD instrument as a secondary payload. The satellite's launch mass is , and it is designed to operate for a minimum of 15 years.
Launch
The launch of SES-14 took place on 25 January 2018 aboard an Ariane 5 ECA vehicle during flight VA241. An anomaly during ascent caused the satellite to enter an orbit with a greater inclination than originally planned, though this was later corrected. Telemetry signals were lost approximately 9 minutes and 28 seconds after liftoff between the launch vehicle and mission control. Around 1 hour and 20 minutes post-launch, both payloads separated successfully and established communication with ground stations; however, their orbital inclinations were incorrect due to issues with the guidance system. As a result, additional orbital adjustments were required, prolonging the commissioning phase.
Mission
The commissioning period for SES-14 extended roughly eight weeks beyond the initial schedule, leading to its operational start in early September 2018 rather than July. Despite this delay, the satellite is anticipated to fulfill its intended service lifespan. Originally, SES-14 was slated for launch on a Falcon 9 rocket with extra propellant reserves to achieve its high-inclination geostationary orbit; however, launch arrangements were modified to accommodate this mission profile. The Al Yah 3 satellite also remained in good health following its launch anomaly and adopted adjusted orbital maneuvers to complete its mission objectives.
Subsequent investigations determined that erroneous azimuth data from the inertial navigation unit caused the vehicle to deviate by 17° from its planned trajectory while ascending to the target altitude. The inertial units had been configured for a conventional geostationary transfer orbit at 90°, but this mission required a supersynchronous transfer orbit at approximately 70°, representing a 20° difference from standard parameters. This event ended Ariane 5’s record of 82 consecutive successful launches since 2003.