 Rendering of O3b MEO satellite coverage areas and visibility around the equator. | |
| Mission type | Internet access |
|---|---|
| Operator | SES Networks |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Thales Alenia Space |
| Launch mass | 700 kg |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 25 June 2013 (UTC) (four) 10 July 2014 (UTC) (four) 18 December 2014 (UTC) (four) 9 March 2018 (UTC) (four) 4 April 2019 (UTC) (four) |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Medium Earth orbit |
| Perigee altitude | 8063 km |
| Period | 287.9 minutes |
O3b is a satellite constellation in Medium Earth orbit (MEO) owned and operated by SES, and designed to provide lower-latency broadband connectivity to remote locations for mobile network operators and internet service providers, maritime, aviation, and government and defence. It is often referred to as O3b MEO to distinguish these satellites from SES's O3b mPOWER constellation.[1]
O3b originally stood for "other three billion", or the other three billion people at the time that did not have stable internet access, and the constellation was initially built, owned and operated by O3b Networks, which became a wholly owned subsidiary of SES in 2016[2] and ownership and operation of the constellation passed to SES Networks, a division of SES. The O3b MEO constellation began offering service in March 2014.[3]
- ^ O3b MEO O3b section title page in SES.com. Accessed 26 May 2021
- ^ SES Completes Acquisition of 100% of O3b Networks, Business Wire, 1 August 2016, Accessed 26 April 2017
- ^ Wood, Lloyd; Lou, Yuxuan; Olusola, Opeoluwa (2014). "Revisiting elliptical satellite orbits to enhance the O3b constellation". Journal of the British Interplanetary Society. 67 (3): 110–118. arXiv:1407.2521. Bibcode:2014JBIS...67..110W.