I am not a rocket scientist, and am finding this an interesting education on orbital mechanics. So if I understand correctly, the most cost effective maneuvers for SES-8 from the delivered orbit would be burns directly away from earth at perigee to circularize the orbit, and at apogee in a northern or southern direction to change the plane of orbit. The north/south burns would not be directly north or south, but at some optimal off angle, and they would have to be done when the perigee coincides with crossing the equator. Did I get this right? To take this a little farther, I assume it best to do the plane change first so it is an equatorial orbit, is this done in a single burn?
(EDIT: here is a quick video that shows how KSP can teach you how thrusting in different directions affects your orbit: youtu.be/_aNlR4-1IrM )
You can always change direction in the middle of the burn.
Peter B. de Selding @pbdes 12sSES has acquired spacecraft and it is in good health.
Do we know when the next burn of SES-8 will occur? Tomorrow morning?