Boeing has shipped two additional O3b mPower broadband satellites to SES. These satellites, the ninth and tenth for the next-generation medium Earth orbit (MEO) constellation, departed California manufacturing facilities on July 2nd, destined for a SpaceX launch this summer from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. They include redesigned power modules to rectify electrical problems affecting the first six O3b mPower spacecraft already in orbit. SES filed a $472 million insurance claim related to these issues.
Boeing committed to supplying two extra O3b mPower spacecraft beyond the original 11-satellite contract to ensure the constellation performs as expected. However, SES CEO Adel Al-Saleh noted in March that intense solar storms in 2022 helped clear a proton buildup causing intermittent power module failures. Industry sources report that these electrical anomalies haven't reappeared since the storms, but recurrence remains a possibility.
This development complicates SES’s insurance claim, covering only the first four satellites launched before the anomaly was discovered. Satellites five and six, launched later, aren’t covered, as SES proceeded with launches to avoid further constellation delays. The claim is based on SES's estimation that the affected satellites operate at 70% capacity with a reduced lifespan. One industry source informed SpaceNews that underwriters are pushing for a lower settlement or complete rejection of the claim. Sandeep Jalan, SES's chief financial officer, reported receiving $58 million from the claim, with negotiations ongoing.
Originally scheduled for this summer, the launch of the 11th O3b mPower satellite has been postponed to 2026, joining the final two. SES spokesperson Suzanne Ong stated that the operator aims to optimize the next launch configuration “to maintain our capacity increase targets and improve network efficiency.” Al-Saleh mentioned during an April 30th earnings call that full constellation operation in 2027 would triple the network's current capacity. Each satellite offers multi-gigabit-per-second throughput, approximately ten times the capacity of the first-generation 20 O3b satellites.