Satellite Stories

Connecting Antarctica to the world: This time we share what happened next. How SES's technical solution made dreams become reality as we supported the 2041 ClimateForce expedition in March 2022.Gez Draycott, Vice President of Sales Engineering at SES talks us through how he enabled capacity to connect in such a remote place, what impact the trip to Antarctica had on him personally, and how this project may shape our company’s future in the way it reports carbon emissions moving forwards.Satellite Stories podcast is presented by SES Senior Creative, Kristina Smith-Meyer.If you’d like to find out more about the technology and causes we’re hoping to support with our Corporate Social Responsibility team - you can read more at ses.com/about-us/environmental-social-and-governanceAnd to see some of the videos and photos from Gez’s time in Antarctica: instagram.com/gez_antarctica/ 

When record-breaking polar explorer Robert Swan asked whether SES could help live-stream from his next expedition across Antarctica - frankly, we jumped at the opportunity to play our part.SES's Senior Manager Amber Ledgerwood shares how she and her team work to support social and environmental initiatives. Robert Swan’s ‘2041 Mission’ included.In this fascinating episode, Amber and Robert discuss how they’re hoping the project will unfold - live - on board the expedition vessel in March 2022.Plus, we hear why and how SES takes our environmental, social and corporate governance objectives seriously. Satellite Stories podcast is presented by SES's Senior Creative, Kristina Smith-Meyer.If you’d like to find out more about the technology and causes we’re hoping to support with our Corporate Social Responsibility team - you can read more at ses.com/about-us/environmental-social-and-governance

GEO, MEO and LEO... What is what exactly when it comes to the world of multi-orbits? And why is SES choosing to invest its future in multiple orbits, not just one of them?“It’s naive to now think that one solution will serve all markets equally.”Stewart Sanders, Executive Vice President of Technology, talks tech of where it all started in Lower Earth Orbit; to where SES’s future is headed with Medium Earth Orbit, and O3b mPOWER.Satellite Stories podcast is presented by SES Senior Creative, Kristina Smith-Meyer.If you’d like to find out more about the technology and industries we’re hoping to support with O3b mPOWER - you can download our insight paper for free at ses.com/o3b-mpower

This is a special podcast episode offering a taste of SES’s latest behind-the-scenes video series - Close-Up.SES has partnered with Microsoft Azure to ensure secure, reliable delivery of Azure services into any market. But how does this relationship work practically? And how can customers in all segments benefit from the growth and expansion of cloud services offered by SES?Featuring: JP Hemingway, CSPO for SES. Ewald Schrap, Principal Program Managers with the Azure Global team at Microsoft. Lynn MacDonald, Microsoft Azure Space Lead for Australia and Japan.Satellite Stories podcast is presented by SES Senior Creative, Kristina Smith-Meyer.Sign up here to access the full "Close-Up with Microsoft" video series.

Unless you’re familiar with Greenland’s waters, it’s generally difficult to navigate through its arctic conditions. The climate, influence of the weather, vastness of the sea area and the ever-changing ice conditions mean that all shipping vessels – from fishing boats to cargo ships – need an experienced pilot onboard. In this episode of Satellite Stories we meet arctic navigator Søren Nuka Olsvig, to learn about the importance of real-time information via reliable internet connection at sea.Join Kristina Smith-Meyer, SES Senior Creative, in discovering the SES partnership with Tusass Greenland. For more about what we do, visit SES.com

There are limited schooling options and no interconnecting roads between settlements in Greenland. Many students rely on boats, planes or helicopters to access high-schools and universities. The power of digital inclusion opens doors to online teaching and distance learning platforms previously unavailable in parts of Greenland.Anders Ogaard is a teacher at the Institute for Learning in Nuuk. He reveals the impact connectivity is having on his pupils’ lives - near and far, and on the wider opportunities the internet can offer Greenlandic culture.Join Kristina Smith-Meyer, SES's Senior Creative, in discovering the world of e-education in Greenland. For more about what we do, visit SES.com

Greenland is a country full of entrepreneurs and artists, all relying on uninterrupted internet connectivity, including Liv Jensen - founder and designer at www.InukDesign.one Liv offers us an insight into how she works with production and shipping companies around the world via her website and social media platforms to sell her artwork.Join Kristina Smith-Meyer, SES's Senior Creative, in discovering Liv's story. For more about what we do, visit SES.comBy the way, the music you hear on this episode is Rasmus Berthelsen’s hymn ‘Guuterput Qutsinnermiu’ (Our God In Heaven). As sung by the Avaat Choir.

Greenland is the world’s largest island yet least densely populated... but how do you connect remote settlements like Tasiilaq and Ittoqqortoormiit to the wider world? And what impact does being connected have on the country’s education, economy and health care sector?Join Kristina Smith-Meyer on a trip to the country’s capital, Nuuk to discover more about SES’s partnership with Tusass - Greenland’s sole telecommunications provider. For more about what we do, visit SES.com

When it comes to knowing your UHD from your HDR, are you struggling to see the wood from the trees? Then fear not because today we’re talking Ultra High Definition, High Dynamic Range AND - ironically - trees. No, really we are… Through the eyes of cinematographers, colourists and camera experts we’ll learn how a super pixel count can make a real difference. Both in the cinema and in our homes; watching the latest movie or that all-important live sport fixture.To paint a picture of why mastering the detail matters we follow the story of a violin being made - from the Bavarian Alps to the performance floor.Satellite Stories is presented by SES Senior Creative, Kristina Smith-Meyer. For more about what we do, visit SES.com

It’s almost here! SES-17 is a very-high-throughput all-electric geostationary satellite, and is all set for launch in just a matter of months.Designed and manufactured by Thales Alenia Space, the satellite will operate in conjunction with SES's other Medium Earth Orbit and geostationary satellites. It's mission is to provide connectivity services across the Americas and the north-Atlantic. But what will that mean for customers and future partners? Whether on land, at sea or in the air?Chief Technology Officer, Ruy Pinto and VP of Technology Programmes Management, Paul van Gelder reveal some of the secrets behind SES-17 project.Satellite Stories is presented by Kristina Smith-Meyer. For more about what we do, visit SES.com

This is special episode offering a taster of SES’s latest exclusive video series: Close-Up. The pace of change in the satellite industry over the last decade has dwarfed anything in the three decades that preceded it. Just about everything has changed, from the nature of satellites themselves and the applications they're used for, to the customers who require them and the value chain through which satellite communication is delivered to users on Earth.  This time on Satellite Stories, Kristina Smith-Meyer hears from JP Hemingway, CEO of SES Networks and Nihar Shah, VP of Strategy & Market Intelligence. Sign up here to access the full "Close-Up with SES" video series.

When Hurricane Irma hit the Caribbean island of Saint Martin in September 2017, lives were lost, buildings were destroyed as well as families and businesses displaced. It cost the country more than $1.5bn in damages. But what’s lesser known is the impact the hurricane had on local infrastructure. For some people, they were left without any internet or TV services for over 6 months. That meant no news updates to heed warning of important weather updates. Andrew Wong, CEO of KiwiSat, wanted better for his customers. He wanted to create an affordable, high quality service that would be able to withstand the tropical storms of the Caribbean, Mexican and Latin America regions. Right from the get-go, SES supported his vision to create a successful Direct-to-Home service called KiwiSat. This episode demonstrates the impact DTH providers can offer, as well as an insight into the mission behind launching SES-10, and SES’s world-renowned Elevate Training programme. Satellite Stories podcast is presented by SES Senior Creative, Kristina Smith-Meyer. For more about what we do, visit SES.com

Mission possible: From ground to air, Satellite Stories meets the wider DEA Aviation team to understand how satellite communications is impacting the success of their missions - not just in customer satisfaction, but also schedule maintenance and overseeing the crew’s safety. In the second part of this two-part series, Luke Sutton, Edward Grinrod and Sally Varley take us through DEA’s people and processes, from operations room to airport hangar. Satellite Stories is presented by SES Senior Creative Specialist, Kristina Smith-Meyer. For more about what we do, visit SES.com

How do HD real-time camera feeds support international border patrols in tackling crime, and life or death rescue missions? This two-part series offers an insight into how SES satellite communications are being translated by our customer, DEA Aviation Ltd, based in Nottinghamshire UK. Their clients include Frontex (the European Border and Coast Guard Agency), Ordnance Survey, arable farmer and many more. John Sullivan and Dicky Patounas from the DEA management team explain why they rely upon SES for airborne ISR, conducting aerial surveys and providing specialised commercial air services. Plus, the series shines a spotlight on the life and career of an aviator - and how several decades of working in the Royal Air Force still serves the DEA team today. Satellite Stories is presented by SES Senior Creative Specialist, Kristina Smith-Meyer. For more about what we do, visit SES.com

With the launch of SES-17 and O3b mPOWER satellites in 2021, SES CEO Steve Collar looks ahead to what next for the company. Plus, a peek into how automated cloud insights are shaping up to be big development business in the aviation, cruise and government industries. Presented by Kristina Smith-Meyer, Senior Creative at SES. For more about what we do, visit SES.com

SES CEO, Steve Collar, recaps the company's 35 year history, the story of O3b's launch back in 2013 and his personal passion for working in such a dynamic industry. Satellite Stories is presented by Kristina Smith-Meyer, Senior Creative at SES.  For more about what we do, visit SES.com

What difference are you making with your resources and knowledge? Who and where are your strongest connections? These are the questions many of us have asked ourselves throughout 2020 and the global crisis… And for SES, ensuring our services and platforms are being used for greater good has been at the heart of what we do for several decades. This episode of Satellite Stories shares the how and why the Fight COVID-19 free to air satellite TV channel was launched and how our partners, including UNICEF, helped ensure proper and correct health information was broadcast to the communities who most needed it, and would have the greatest impact. Host, Kristina Smith-Meyer speaks to Paul Heber, chief communications officer at UNICEF Luxembourg. For more about what we do, visit SES.com

How a 12 inch tail-mounted antenna is enabling CEOs, rock stars and heads of state to continue connecting with their online business whilst flying 30,000 feet above ground… From Minneapolis, to Connecticut, to Washington DC; Satellite Stories host Kristina Smith-Meyer goes behind the scenes with SES partner Collins Aerospace and studies the detail of Luxstream’s technical support. For more about what we do, visit SES.com.

When Christopher Bing was 6 years old he built his own airport out of plywood and shoeboxes. Now a pilot for Raytheon Technologies, he spends his working days flying rockstars, athletes and CEOs across the globe. But customer service as a private pilot isn’t just about landing on-time and adequate luggage allowance. It's also about ensuring inflight connectivity is as seamless in the air as on the ground. SES partners, Collins Aerospace explain why LuxStream is needed in the private aviation industry; a service which enables the business jet to become an extension of passengers’ home and corporate networks, allowing them to access the same services, applications, and entertainment in the air as they do on the ground—wherever they fly. For more about what we do, visit SES.com

Meet the Ethiopian television producers, presenters and viewers all benefiting from using the Ethiosat TV platform. Part two of this short series on Satellite Stories podcast explores how SES collaborated with local broadcasters and associations to provide high quality, HD content across Ethiopia. Presented by Kristina Smith-Meyer. For more about what we do, visit SES.com

For decades, Ethiopians only had access to unreliable and inconsistent quality television content. Now with a new specially created platform - Ethiosat is finally enabling local broadcasters to deliver locally produced and focused content, at HD quality to viewers nationwide. In this episode of Satellite Stories, SES host Kristina Smith-Meyer travels to Addis Ababa to meet local broadcasters, members of the Ethiopian Broadcast Association, trainers empowering local satellite dish installers with the skills they need, and hear first-hand how ordinary Ethiopians are finding work on and off-screen. Listen in and find our how the Ethiosat platform was rolled out across the country. For more about what we do, visit SES.com

Keeping cargo crew and cruise passengers connected has become a given, not a luxury. Whether considering the welfare of officers out at sea for months and months, or holidaymakers wanting to share their photos with friends and family back home - SES is committed to developing cutting-edge solutions for connectivity aboard. So why does SES think MEO is the right path for its maritime customers? And how will O3b mPOWER help the team up their game? Kristina Smith-Meyer hears from our VP of the maritime segment at SES, Gregory Martin.

What does O3b stand for? Why is SES investing in MEO over LEO? And what inspired the engineering and technical development behind SES’s upcoming project - O3b mPOWER? Stewart Sanders, Executive Vice President of Technology and O3b mPOWER Programme Manager, joins Kristina Smith-Meyer on another episode of Satellite Stories podcast.

From analysing firefighters health data, to communicating on the front lines in conflict zones, to managing a complex election process in land-locked Burkino Faso. Satellites deliver the real time data essential to government operations. So, this time we look at how O3b is being used by governments across the world, and why SES’s new MEO offering, O3b mPOWER, will offer government customers even more flexibility - on private and public networks - when it comes to staying connected. Features Jack Deasy - former US diplomat and now VP of market segment solutions at SES; and John Atkinson - retired colonel with the US army, and now Director of Business Development at SES. Presented by Kristina Smith-Meyer.

LEO, MEO, GEO and soon O3b mPOWER… Continuing our mini series on O3b mPOWER, today we meet Morten Hansen, VP of Commercial Maritime & Energy Sales at SES. From Skyping on a ship in Brazil, to dangling from a helicopter basket above the Norwegian Sea…Morten’s conversation with Satellite Stories’ host Kristina Smith-Meyer looks at how O3b is used by maritime businesses today and an insight into working out at sea on oil rigs, drilling platforms and vessels.

From Microsoft to IBM Global Services to Amazon and Netflix…the importance of offering reliable and secure public and private cloud based services is something SES is continuing to build upon. On this episode of Satellite Stories, we discuss why global strategic partnerships are key for growing our cloud-based service offerings - and why more of the services end users are relying upon are based on this mysterious thing called ‘the cloud’. Kristina Smith-Meyer is joined by Sergy Mummert, Senior VP of Global Cloud and Strategic Partnerships at SES, based in the USA. For more about what we do, visit SES.com.

What's the future role of the TV in your living room? How big a difference does screen quality really make? And what's all the buzz about with regards to the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics being filmed in 8k? Martin Faehnrich, Panasonic's standardisation manager, explains where television tech has come from over the last two decades and offers an insight into where it's going. Plus, Satellite Stories podcast host Kristina Smith-Meyer hears how our screens won't just be something we watch programmes on in years to come - they could be an integrated part of the family smart home. For more about what SES does, visit SES.com

How do you make sure millions of football fans can watch their team play without having a golden ticket to the game? On this episode of Satellite Stories, Kristina Smith-Meyer travels to Brazil to see SES's OU Flex being used first-hand by broadcasters - and end users - during the Copa America 2019. Join her in Sao Paulo at the Morumbi Stadium on the morning of the opening ceremony, and later - in a bar with hundreds of fans enjoying the Brazil v Bolivia game. Featuring Jurandir Pitsch and Andreas Breuer from SES, Alex Pimintel from Casablanca Online and bar owner Walter Flavius. For more about what SES does, visit SES.com.

How do you live stream niche sports in the Austrian alps? How do broadcasters ensure breaking news can be reported in a remote location immediately with little preparation? One of the many services SES offers is OU Flex. On this episode of Satellite Stories, Kristina Smith-Meyer takes you on a mountain bike ride, hovercraft racing and a trip to the European Snow Volleyball Championships. So pop on your headphones to enjoy the journey! Featuring Steve Bisenius and Andreas Breuer from SES, and Paul Richardson from Sematron. For more about what SES does, visit SES.com.

BBC iPlayer, Netflix, SkyGo, YouTube - a handful of online video services we're all likely to have used at some point in the last few months. These days, we no longer rely on viewing our favourite TV show live in our living room. As consumers, we now expect to be able to watch our favourite content -whenever and wherever we want. When we say OTT content distribution, linear TV channels and IP content... they're probably terms you’re not familiar with as an end user. So on this episode, Markus Placho - VP of products at SES video – runs us through why these types of services have reshaped the way SES works and the way our clients work with us over the last ten years. SES's Satellite Stories podcast is presented by Kristina Smith-Meyer. For more information on what we do, visit SES.com

Personalised passenger experience, watching films in 4k and closing the gap between life on the ground with life in the air... Just a few of the insights offered by Gustavo Nader, head of strategy for Thales InFlyt Experience. But what role does SES play when it comes to improving connectivity in the clouds, quite literally? How will AI benefit all passengers on board commercial airlines – not just those privileged to sit in first class? And how are airlines keeping up with bandwidth and demand for OTT content streaming capability? 'Satellite Stories' host Kristina Smith-Meyer speaks with Gustavo at this year’s iD19 event in Luxembourg. For more information on SES's upcoming industry days, visit SES.com

 "Applying common sense to the number madness..." That's how Ricardo Topham, Senior Market & Business Analyst at SES describes his job. It's a role which sees him travel all corners of the world - finding out what matters most to our customers and seeing first-hand how the solutions SES provide really make a difference. From employing locals in remote communities in Africa to empowering entrepreneurs in the Caribbean, our host Kristina Smith-Meyer unveils the real-life stories of working at the world's largest satellite operator. For more information about what it is we do, visit us at www.ses.com

Ever wondered how TV changed from SD to HD? And curious in how the number of channels has vastly increased over the years? On episode 2 of Satellite Stories, we look into the history of one of SES's geostationary satellites - Astra 1B launched back in 1991. And we discover how the idea of co-location was pivotal in satellite history in expanding the industry's horizons and technical ability. Host Kristina Smith-Meyer meets Ray Sperber - one of the SES engineers behind co-location's initial concept. Want more behind the scenes of what SES does? Visit youtube.com/ses