SES expands satellite capabilities with O3b mPOWER launch and completion of Intelsat acquisition

SES has marked two major milestones in its mission to deliver next-generation global connectivity, successfully launching two new O3b mPOWER satellites and finalizing its strategic acquisition of Intelsat. These developments not only bolster SES' Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite constellation but also establish the company as a global leader in multi-orbit satellite communications.

- By BOB REYES

July 23, Wednesday, SES and Boeing announced the successful deployment of the ninth and tenth O3b mPOWER satellites aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Liftoff occurred at 5:12 a.m. Philippine time, and just two hours later, the satellites had separated from the launch vehicle and begun health checks. Controlled from Boeing's mission facility in El Segundo, California, the satellites are equipped with Xenon propulsion systems and will reach their operational orbit 8,000 kilometers above Earth in approximately 130 days.