ST Engineering iDirect provides ground system for SES O3b mPOWER
November 3, 2020
ST Engineering iDirect, a global player in satellite communications, has announced that it will provide its high-performance ground infrastructure for O3b mPOWER, SES’s next-generation Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) communications system. Pairing ST Engineering iDirect’s breakthrough ground technology with spacecraft innovations, O3b mPOWER will enable a flexible, low-latency, high-speed, fiber-like experience for industry segments that include telcommunications/Mobile Network Operator, government, aerospace, cruise, offshore energy, mining and commercial shipping.
The O3b mPOWER system is a critical innovation milestone for the satellite industry. ST Engineering iDirect’s high-performance ground technology is key to optimizing the end-to-end capabilities of the MEO constellation for delivery of highly efficient networks with highly reliable services.
The integration of SES and ST Engineering iDirect technologies results in a powerful feature set, including:
- Space-to-ground integration to deliver maximum flexibility: ST Engineering iDirect’s dynamic ground system, combined with SES’s O3b mPOWER satellites and the differentiated resource management capability of Adaptive Resource Control (ARC), enables the dynamic control and optimization of power, throughput, beams and frequency allocation across the entire system, resulting in the efficient delivery of low-latency, satellite-based data services with a superior end-user experience.
- Unprecedented scalability and dynamic allocation of resources: Facilitated through the highly flexible, virtualized hub and baseband that can independently scale gigahertz, gigabits, and number of carriers.
- End-to-end service orchestration and automation: Seamless integration into overall satellite and terrestrial hybrid networks based on open architectures and standardized platform APIs reduces operational complexities and ensures that services are implemented in an automated, expedient and seamless manner as needed.
- Proven DVB-S2X and award-winning Mx-DMA waveforms: Highly optimized for throughput, efficiency and availability on both the forward and return channels to enable carrier-grade performance previously only achievable over fiber networks, scalable up to multiple gigabits-per-second for fixed and mobility applications.
- Powerful terminal portfolio for every market and application: The existing MDM5010 satellite modem, suited to extreme bandwidth applications, will be complemented with a next generation series of Non Geostationary Satellite Orbit (NGSO) capable modems.
“The ground segment is integral to bringing O3b mPOWER to life, and our companies, which have a long-standing partnership, share a common vision for technology and service innovation which we are taking to a critical next level,” said Thomas Van den Driessche, President and CCO at ST Engineering iDirect. “This opportunity allows us to reinforce our collaboration with SES and take further steps towards achieving our vision of a GSO and NGSO, multi-access platform to deliver next-generation services and applications enabled by emerging 5G standards.”
“Our partnership with ST Engineering iDirect will serve to reinforce our vision of high-throughput, high- efficiency networks based on open, standardized architectures that enable the delivery of fully automated and orchestrated services,” said Stewart Sanders, EVP, Technology and O3b mPOWER Program Lead, SES. “Their proven technology and innate understanding of next-generation ground ecosystem requirements will enable us to harness the potential of O3b mPOWER to offer differentiated services across land, sea and air.”