SES Unveils Second-Gen NGSO Constellation to Deliver Scalable Connectivity Services
SES, the leading global satellite-enabled content connectivity solutions provider, unveiled its O3b mPOWER constellation of 11 satellites together with its manufacturing partner, Boeing, at Boeing’s satellite facility in El Segundo, California. SES’s next-generation non-geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) constellation, operating in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), is capable of delivering multi-gigabit connectivity services to a variety of industries globally, including telecommunications, maritime and aviation, as well as governments and international institutions. The satellites, which will cover Southeast Asia, are currently going through testing and system integration in preparation for launch in December.
As Southeast Asia continues to forge ahead into the digital future, SES aims to be a trusted partner to local governments in their digital transformation efforts by leveraging the O3b mPOWER system. 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 enterprises and governments in the region to optimise their global bandwidth availability and resiliency.
As the latest O3b mPOWER customer, Microsoft will use the MEO services for additional network diversity, service resiliency and gigabit connectivity as more critical workloads move to the cloud. Other publicly-announced O3b mPOWER customers include Carnival Cruises, Virgin Voyages, Orange, and iSat Africa.
With Southeast Asian enterprises and governments adopting the cloud across their operations, SES has partnered with leading cloud services providers to deliver secure and dedicated connectivity to their customers’ demanding cloud-based applications that span dense cities to remote, rural locations. With O3b mPOWER, SES is creating a cloud-scale operational environment that will leverage cloud networks to provide leading data analytics, geospatial tools, machine learning, and AI services.
“Manufactured by Boeing, our O3b mPOWER satellites will allow us to intelligently orchestrate connectivity services across our global network, including Southeast Asia. This is in line with governments across the region launching nationwide strategies aimed at advancing digital transformation. From Malaysia’s MYDigital, to Indonesia’s BAKTI, a common theme is to strengthen existing connectivity and provide digital access to remote areas; this represents a huge opportunity for SES to be a trusted digital transformation partner to governments,” said Harsh Verma, Director of Sales for Southeast Asia, SES. “O3b mPOWER satellites are built to dynamically adapt and scale bandwidth to meet evolving needs in real-time – a first in the space and satellite industry – and we are excited to be the pioneers of this software-based system.”
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.