Global satellite-enabled content connectivity solutions provider, SES has begun testing its next generation of satellite for a planned launch later in December.
The O3b mPOWER constellation of 11 satellites manufactured by partner, Boeing are currently going through testing and system integration at Boeing’s satellite facilities in El Segundo after a key unveiling event last week.
SES’s next-generation non-geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) constellation, operating in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), is capable of delivering multigigabit connectivity services to a variety of industries globally, including telecommunications, maritime and aviation, as well as governments and international institutions.
“We are really excited to have unveiled the O3b mPOWER satellites together with Boeing ahead
of the first launch at the end of the year. This system’s massive throughput and its ability to
dynamically adapt and scale bandwidth to match customers’ evolving needs in real-time is a first
in the space and satellite industry, and is exactly what our customers are looking for,” said Steve
Collar, CEO of SES.
O3b mPOWER is the second-generation of SES’s O3b MEO system, making it the only NGSO
system based on a field-tested model of technical and commercial success.
The software-driven O3b mPOWER communications system is capable of delivering intelligence-driven connectivity services from tens of megabits to multiple gigabits per second, enabling customers to optimise
their global bandwidth availability and resiliency.
“The satellite industry is moving to a software-based world, and I am proud to say we are leading this movement with innovation across the O3b mPOWER system. Our O3b mPOWER ground infrastructure is largely software-based, allowing us to intelligently orchestrate connectivity services across our global network — something never done before,” said Collar.
The first batch of three O3b mPOWER satellites will be launched by SpaceX from Cape Canaveral in December 2021, followed by two more launches in 2022. The constellation will start delivering services as of Q3 2022.
“Prior to launch, there’s quite a rigorous build and test process that the satellites will go through to simulate the space environment in every way so that the satellite can withstand the dynamic launch environment and that the satellite operates as intended once it reaches space. Our unique collaboration with SES has allowed us to jointly arrive at a next-generation satellite system that meets the needs of SES’s customers today,” said Jim Chilton, Senior Vice President of Boeing Space and Launch.
