MUMBAI: The Sea Launch team has initiated a countdown at its equatorial launch site. This is in preparation for the launch of the NSS-8 communications satellite for SES New Skies which will take place tomorrow 26 January 2007.

The NSS-8 satellite is a Boeing 702 spacecraft that carries 56 C-band and 36 Ku-band transponders. It is designed to replace the existing NSS-703 satellite as the centerpiece of New Skies' strategic Indian Ocean contribution to SES' global communications network.

NSS-8 will support a range of functions, including corporate communications, Broadband Internet services and broadcast applications to the Indian sub continent, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Designed for a 15-year lifespan, the satellite will have 18 kilowatts of total power at the beginning of life on orbit.