O3b mPOWER
Desktop model of an O3b mPOWER satellite | |
| Mission type | Communications |
|---|---|
| Operator | SES |
| Mission duration | 12 years (planned) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | All-electric propulsion |
| Bus | BSS-702X |
| Manufacturer | Boeing |
| Launch mass | 1700 kg |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 16 December 2022 |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 Block 5 |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral, SLC-40 |
| Contractor | SpaceX |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Medium Earth orbit |
| Altitude | 8,000 km (5,000 mi) |
O3b mPOWER is a communications satellite system owned and operated by SES. The system uses high-throughput and low-latency satellites in a medium Earth orbit (MEO), along with ground infrastructure and intelligent software, to provide multiple terabits of global broadband connectivity for applications including cellular backhaul and international IP trunking, cruise line connectivity, disaster recovery, and military communications. The first O3b mPOWER satellites were launched in December 2022 and the system became operational in April 2024 with 6 satellites. Two further satellites were launched in December 2024, and the system's capacity will be increased by a further 5 satellites launched by 2026.
The O3b mPOWER satellites use fully shapable and steerable spot beams that can be shifted and scaled in real time to suit individual users. The satellites join SES' existing constellation of 20 first-generation O3b satellites in MEO and they can be used in conjunction with them, with the SES's fleet of geostationary satellites, and with SpaceX's Starlink low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, providing full multi-orbit capability.