Celeste Vance 
- Boeing delivered the final three O3b mPOWER satellites to SES
- The delivery completes the initial 13-satellite constellation and expands SES’s medium Earth orbit connectivity network
- The commercial O3b mPOWER architecture also serves as a technology baseline for Boeing’s U.S. national security satellite programs
Boeing has delivered the final three satellites in the initial O3b mPOWER constellation to space solutions provider SES, completing a 13-satellite program designed to expand high-performance connectivity through medium Earth orbit.
What Does the O3b mPOWER Delivery Mean for Boeing and SES?
Boeing said Wednesday the F11, F12 and F13 satellites are expected to add incremental capacity to SES’s MEO network, supporting low-latency connectivity, high throughput and uncontended bandwidth for customers worldwide.
The O3b mPOWER system supports a broad customer base, including government organizations, civil entities, mobile network operators, commercial airlines and cruise lines. SES also uses the network to provide connectivity in remote locations, including for education and telehealth applications.
The company said the operational constellation provides a technical baseline for critical national security systems. Boeing is applying a hardened version of the software-defined payload architecture, giving the company a standardized system to adapt for high-performance constellations operating in different orbits.
What Are Company Leaders Saying?
SES Chief Product and Innovation Officer Xavier Bertran said the delivery will allow the company to increase the constellation’s capabilities as demand from commercial and government customers grows.
“The performance we are seeing from the 10 satellites already on orbit validates this architecture,” Bertran said.
Ryan Reid, president of Boeing Satellite Systems International, said the operational constellation demonstrates the maturity of the company’s software-defined payload technologies.
“Our continued partnership with SES demonstrates our commitment to customer priorities and our ability to innovate technology and push the boundaries of what’s possible in satellite communications,” Reid said.
What Is Next for Boeing and SES?
The delivery of F11, F12 and F13 represents the latest milestone in a partnership between Boeing and SES that dates back to 2017.
In December 2022, Boeing delivered the first two spacecraft, which were designed to provide low-latency, high-throughput connectivity from MEO. The satellites incorporated Boeing’s 702X software-defined payload, with more than 5,000 steerable beams per satellite, enabling capacity to be dynamically directed based on customer requirements.
On July 22, 2025, SES announced the successful launch of its ninth and 10th O3b mPOWER satellites aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. At the time, SES said the two satellites joined eight spacecraft already in operation, adding capacity and expanding coverage for mobility, government, enterprise and cloud customers.
With Boeing now delivering F11, F12 and F13, the initial 13-satellite O3b mPOWER constellation is complete. The three satellites are scheduled to launch from Florida’s Space Coast in September and are expected to enter service in mid-2027 following orbit-raising and initialization activities.
