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SES has announced that additional tests will be conducted before the launch of its next pair of O3b mPower satellites. The operator is investigating a glitch that is causing power modules to trip off intermittently on its first four medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites. The issue has been limited to some of the power modules onboard the next-generation MEO satellites launched by SpaceX. SES CEO Ruy Pinto stated that these trip-offs have been quickly resolved without impacting payload performance. While the company is not overly concerned, it wants to ensure a smooth deployment of services.

The upcoming fifth and sixth O3b mPower satellites, built by Boeing for SES, were initially scheduled to launch by the end of June. However, the launch has been pushed to before the end of September. SpaceX is also set to launch the seventh and eighth O3b mPower satellites this year. The first two satellites have already reached their final positions in MEO, while the third and fourth are expected to arrive at their target locations later this month. Initial commercial services, catering to the growing demand for connectivity in sectors such as mobile backhaul, aviation, maritime, and government, are on track to begin before the end of 2023.

Each O3b mPower satellite is designed to provide multiple gigabits per second of throughput, which is approximately ten times more than SES’s first generation of O3b satellites in MEO. In addition to these MEO satellites, SES operates around 50 geostationary orbit satellites for connectivity and broadcast customers.

SES reported a total revenue of 987 million euros (.1 billion) for the first half of 2023, with a 1.2% year-on-year decrease when adjusted for currency changes. The networks business generated 3.1% higher revenues of 501 million euros, while video revenues fell by 5.2% to 486 million euros. SES and other satellite operators, including Eutelsat, are investing heavily in connectivity services due to the decline in satellite TV.

SES has successfully cleared a significant portion of C-band spectrum in the United States, which was auctioned off to 5G telecommunications companies by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). As a result, SES expects to receive billion from the FCC by the end of 2023. This is in addition to the billion already received for meeting an interim milestone in 2021. SES is currently engaged in a legal battle with Intelsat to split the C-band proceeds equally. The company has not yet disclosed its plans for the windfall but mentioned options such as debt payment, shareholder dividends, and growth-oriented investments.

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