WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AT A GLANCE:
- Rocket: SpaceX Falcon9
- Booster: B1076 9th flight
- Payload: O3b mPOWER Satellites 5 and 6
- Time: Launch Window from 4:08pm to 5:37pm
- Date: 11-12-23
- Location: LC40 CCAFS, Florida
- Booster landing: on A Shortfall of Gravitas
- Trajectory: will be to the East
- Weather: is predicted to be mostly cloudy.
O3b mPOWER
The name “O3b” stands for “Other 3 billion”, a reference to the approximately three billion people in the world who, at the time of the company’s founding, were underserved by modern internet services. This designation highlights the company’s original mission to provide high-speed, affordable internet access to those in parts of the world where connectivity was limited or non-existent, particularly in emerging markets.
The O3b mPOWER 5 and 6 are part of a significant project involving the deployment of a series of advanced satellites to enhance broadband internet connectivity across the globe. This launch will place the 5th and 6th satellites of an 11-satellite constellation into a medium Earth orbit, MEO, around 5,000 miles above the Earth. From MEO, the constellation will cover 96% of the globe. These satellites are built and tested by Boeing. They use an all-electric propulsion system, solar arrays and each satellite will be able to cast virtually countless electronically steerable beams, directed and switched in near real time to provide unmatched services at multiple gigabits
per second per service.
O3b mPOWER is the only satellite communications system that can scale, reliably and dynamically, to deliver thousands of dedicated managed services. The O3b mPOWER 5 & 6 satellites make use of a software system called Adaptive Resource Control (ARC). The O3b mPOWER satellite system aims to provide high-performance connectivity services to multiple sectors, including government, energy, and cruise sectors, as well as telecom companies and mobile network operators. In addition to the 11 satellites, the constellation will also comprise eight ground stations worldwide and dozens of software service providers.
The O3b mPOWER’s start-of-service date is scheduled for Q3 2023 with six satellites in orbit.
SES
SES, originally known as Société Européenne des Satellites, is a leading global satellite operator based in Betzdorf, Luxembourg. Formed in 1985, SES has grown to become one of the world’s preeminent providers of satellite-based communication services. SES operates a large fleet of satellites, providing coverage across the globe. This network includes both Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites. The GEO satellites provide widespread coverage, while the MEO satellites, part of the O3b network, offer lower latency services. The company offers a wide range of services, including broadcasting satellite services (television and radio), data and telecommunications, internet access, and mobile backhaul. SES’s satellite infrastructure is crucial for delivering media and connectivity services in regions where terrestrial networks are limited or nonexistent.
