4th batch of O3b satellites in orbit

The four latest satellites in the O3b constellation built by Thales Alenia Space for SES Networks were successfully launched today from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana (South America) by a Soyuz rocket.

These four new satellites will expand the current O3b constellation of 12 satellites, which have been operational in orbit since 2014. Together, they will offer more capacity, improved coverage, greater efficiency and even higher reliability.

Thanks to these high-performance satellites, SES Networks, the SES business unit dedicated to global data networks, provides broadband services to telecom and mobile network operators, Internet service providers, enterprises, and customers in the mobility, energy and government sectors.

O3b satellites are positioned at an altitude of 8,000 km along the equator, four times closer to the Earth than satellites in geostationary orbit. Operating in the Ka-band, they offer telecommunications and Internet connectivity services at a fibre-like speed across the globe.

“After having delivered 46 telecom satellites in 2017, Thales Alenia Space is delighted to celebrate the kickoff of 2018 launches with our long-standing partners, SES and Arianespace,” said Jean Loïc Galle, President and Chief Executive Officer of Thales Alenia Space. “This latest cluster of four satellites joins its sister satellites in orbit, after their launches in 2013 and 2014, to boost the constellation’s service capacity. We are proud to help our customer SES grow their market, and we are ready and willing to offer new telecom solutions that provide even higher performance, with more integrated and digital systems.”