KUALA LUMPUR, December 12 – SES, a global satellite operator, has achieved a significant milestone with the successful launch of its fifth and sixth O3b mPOWER satellites. The two satellites were launched into space via a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on November 12, 2023, at 4:08 PM local time. This successful launch completes the constellation of six medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites, a crucial step towards SES’s goal of providing high-performance connectivity services globally from early Q2 2024.
SES had previously announced its plans to expand the O3b mPOWER constellation with two additional satellites manufactured by Boeing, bringing the total number to 13. The investment for this expansion is expected to be covered within SES’s existing committed CapEx envelope. The first four O3b mPOWER satellites, launched last year, have reached their target orbital position and are currently undergoing comprehensive in-orbit checks, including system validation tests for both space and ground components.
Ruy Pinto, CEO of SES, expressed confidence in the network’s resiliency, stating, “With the fifth and sixth O3b mPOWER satellites launched and going operational in the next few months, we are gearing up to deliver the high-performance connectivity services our customers need. By building resiliency into the network, we are confident our customers will be able to depend on us to deliver the reliable and secure connectivity required to run their operations.” The commercial service for O3b mPOWER is set to commence in the second quarter of 2024.
