SES successfully launched the O3b mPOWER 5th and 6th satellites on November 12. 

According to a statement, the satellites were successfully launched into space by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, at 4:08 pm local time. With the fifth and sixth O3b mPOWER satellites launched, this completes the six-satellite medium earth orbit (MEO) constellation necessary to provide global services. The start of services for SES’s O3b mPOWER is targeted for early Q2 2024. 

“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,” said Ruy Pinto, CEO of SES. 

Simon Maher, senior vice president of Cruise and Maritime at SES, said: “The successful O3b mPOWER launch of the fifth and sixth satellites is a major milestone for SES, and more importantly for the cruise industry. With O3b mPOWER high-performance low-latency connectivity services available as of Q2 2024, cruise operators around the world will be able to deliver an enhanced level of connectivity – both for passengers and crew. SES’s Cruise mPOWERED service will transform the cruise industry, providing flexible, reliable and steerable “follow-the-ship” beams. These beams will deliver low latency and guaranteed connectivity starting from 100 Mbps and scaling to 2.0 Gbps per ship, empowering a new era in connectivity experiences for passengers, crew and ships’ operational efficiencies.”

O3b mPOWER commercial service is expected to launch during the second quarter of 2024.