SES Americom said its AMC-15 satellite launched successfully from a pad in Kazakhstan Thursday, and reached stationary orbit.

Ka-band-based AMC-15 is the first satellite dedicated to SES Americom's AMERICOM2Home platform for both direct-to-home video and data services. It is also the first SES Americom bird committed to EchoStar Communications' satellite TV service.

Following a battery of tests, it's expected that the satellite will be ready for service in about eight weeks.