The launch occurred at 5:12 p.m. EDT, with both satellites separating from the rocket approximately two hours later. Boeing engineers in El Segundo, California, are conducting detailed health checks from the company’s mission control facility, located at the world’s largest satellite factory.
Equipped with efficient xenon thrusters, the satellites will orbit approximately 8,000 kilometres above Earth. Their addition further strengthens SES’s global high-throughput, low-latency connectivity network, which has been commercially operational since April 2024.
“We designed O3b mPOWER so each additional satellite beyond the first six boosts capacity, performance, and resilience,” said Michelle Parker, vice president of Boeing Space Mission Systems. “This capability stems from our investments in cutting-edge technology and the enhanced production techniques we’ve refined over the course of the program.”
O3b mPOWER satellites provide connectivity to nearly 95% of the world’s population, offering services that rival traditional internet performance with greater geographic flexibility. They use digitally formed beams that adapt in real time to users’ changing communication needs.
“I’m proud of our SES team and partners for continuously pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in space to bring critical connectivity where it matters most,” said Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES. “With this launch we continue adding incremental capacity to our initial O3b mPOWER constellation, strengthening our MEO network and delivering high throughput and predictable low latency services at scale.”
Boeing has also hardened the technology used in these satellites for military applications. The same software-defined platform is being integrated into the U.S. Space Force’s Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS-11 and WGS-12) and Evolved Strategic SATCOM (ESS) satellites, offering secure, jam-resistant communications capabilities.
