On December 18, 2024, SpaceX successfully launched two O3b mPOWER 7 and 8 communications satellites for Luxembourg-based SES. The launch of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle with two satellites on board took place from the spaceport in the state of Florida. The satellites were placed in a medium Earth orbit (MEO), which is approximately 8,000 km above the Earth.
The O3b mPOWER 7 and 8 satellites were manufactured by Boeing and weigh about 1,700 kg each. The Falcon 9 rocket's first stage successfully landed on SpaceX's Just Read the Instructions drone in the Atlantic Ocean just 8.5 minutes after launch.
After launch, the O3b mPOWER 7 satellite entered orbit 113 minutes later, and the second O3b mPOWER 8 satellite another 7 minutes later. This launch is an important milestone in the expansion of the O3b mPOWER satellite network, which already consists of six satellites launched as part of three Falcon 9 missions during 2022-2023. The network will gradually increase to 11 satellites, which will provide improved communication in medium orbits.
O3b mPOWER satellites are designed to provide high-speed Internet connection in remote regions where traditional communication methods are not effective enough.
