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SES World Skies was a short lived company formed as a result of the merger between the two SES subsidiaries, SES Americom and SES New Skies. The company was merged into its parent company, SES in 2011.

History

SES Americom

SES Americom traces its roots back to RCA Americom, formed in 1975. RCA Americom was notable for launching the Satcom series of satellites which were instrumental in helping early American cable TV channels gain traction. In 1986, General Electric acquired RCA and renamed the Americom unit to GE Americom. Fifteen years later, in 2001, GE sold its GE Americom unit to SES (Société Européenne des Satellites) for US$5 billion in cash and stock.

SES New Skies

In 1998, Intelsat transferred 5 of its 24 satellites to New Skies Satellites N.V., a Dutch start up company formed by Intelsat to help move Intelsat towards privatisation.

In June 2004, New Skies Satellites was sold to The Blackstone Group for US$956 million. Eighteen months later, SES Global (formerly Société Européenne des Satellites, now SES, the operators of Astra) agreed to purchase New Skies from Blackstone for US$1.16 billion.

In September 2006, the company name was changed from New Skies Satellites to SES New Skies.

Internal mergers

In September 2009, SES New Skies and SES Americom were merged to form SES World Skies.

In September 2011, SES World Skies and SES Astra were merged into SES to streamline operations under a single management system.

See also

• SES
• SES Americom
• SES Astra
• SES Sirius
• List of SES satellites
• List of broadcast satellites

References

1. "IntelSat Transfers Satellite Assests [sic]". Space Daily. 1 December 1998.
2. "Satellite Company Is Trying Life on Its Own". New York Times. 23 January 2001.
3. "New Skies Sold For A Billion Dollars". Space Daily. 7 June 2004.
4. "SES GLOBAL to Acquire New Skies Satellites". spaceref. 14 December 2005.
5. "SES AMERICOM-NEW SKIES Satellite Division Re-brands As SES WORLD SKIES" (Press release). SES WORLD SKIES. 7 September 2009.
6. "SES OPERATES UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE" (Press release). SES. 2 May 2011.

External links

• SES WORLD SKIES home page

• SES (company)
• Communications satellite operators