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O3b launches more satellites, enhancing cruise connectivity

The first of four O3b satellites launched Thursday by Arianespace at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana
The first of four O3b satellites launched Thursday by Arianespace at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana PHOTO: SES Networks
Four O3b medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites were successfully launched by Arianespace at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, on Thursday, SES Networks reported. This means enhanced global coverage to improve Wi-Fi service for customers including four leading cruise lines.

Next-generation MEO system

The Soyuz launch marks a significant milestone in SES’s O3b MEO journey, bringing the number of O3b satellites to 20, and making the transition into its next-generation MEO system. The seamless scalability of the constellation means that the additional satellites will enhance coverage across the globe and enable SES Networks to provide greater service availability and reliability to cater to increasing demand, including in maritime markets.

The satellites were built by Thales Alenia Space.

As the only operationally and commercially proven non-geostationary satellite orbit broadband constellation, the O3b MEO system has been successful since its first launch in 2013. It is the only satellite-based system currently delivering fiber-like high-performance data connectivity services, MEF carrier ethernet certified services and certified cloud connectivity services.

The high-throughput O3b constellation has been key in helping SES achieve its vision of changing lives by connecting people. This impact can be felt by customers operating in nearly 50 countries today across a range of markets as well as providing exceptional connectivity for cruisers.

Connecting the underserved

'We have connected underserved communities with high-performance Internet,' SES Networks CEO John-Paul Hemingway said. 'We have restored connectivity across disaster zones. We have changed the notion that you can’t be as connected at sea as on land. And we have made the cloud available to businesses where it was never possible before

Located almost 8,000 kilometers from the Earth’s surface, the O3b constellation delivers fiber-equivalent performance and has massive geographic reach, enabling the delivery of high-performance data networks and solutions, including cloud services and applications, across the globe.