SES picks SpaceX to launch four additional O3b mPower satellites

SES has announced that it has selected SpaceX, that it has worked with since 2017, as a launch partner to deliver the four newly-ordered O3b mPower spacecraft of its next generation medium earth orbit communications system.

Just like the initial seven O3b mPower satellites procured, these additional four satellites will be launched into space on board Falcon 9 rockets from Cape Canaveral. A total of four Falcon 9 rockets will be used to support the deployment of all O3b mPower satellites.

SES’s O3b mPower fully-funded communications system comprises of 11 high-throughput and low latency satellites as well as an automated and intelligence-powered ground infrastructure. The satellites are built by Boeing, and operate in medium earth orbit.

Steve Collar, CEO of SES, commented on this latest venture: “O3b mPower is the cornerstone of our multi-orbit, cloud-enabled network that will serve our enterprise, mobility and government customers into the next decade, and we are merely a year away from its first launch.We have a strong and long-standing partnership with SpaceX and we are excited to add the launches of additional O3b mPower satellites that will drive higher throughput, greater efficiency and substantially more bandwidth to our network.”

“SES’s selection of SpaceX to support launch of the full O3b mPower constellation is a testament to our deep partnership built over the past decade,” added Tom Ochinero, vice president of commercial sales at SpaceX, “We look forward to working with SES again for the successful deployment of this new system.”