Maxar delays hurt Ovzon
June 23, 2023
By Chris Forrester
Sweden-based Ovzon, which is building an orbital broadband system, is again being forced to apply to the ITU to relax its ‘bringing into use’ regulations. It isn’t Ovzon’s fault because satellite builder Maxar Technologies is late with delivering Ovzon-3.
Maxar says that it has had to replace a defective component on the satellite. But it means that Ovzon-3 now cannot launch in its expected Q4 and will badly miss the ITU’s December 31st 2023 ‘in orbit’ date requirement.
Even after launch – now likely for 2024 – the satellite will take many months to raise itself into its designated orbit.
The delays have been extensive. The original contract talked about a launch in Q4 2020.
Ovzon’s plan is to supply communications direct-to-devices and capable of transmissions of up to 70 Mbps and receiving up to 120 Mbps, regardless of On-The-Move or On-The-Pause applications. Its main targets are Government and Defense, NGOs, Humanitarian, Broadcast, Disaster Relief, Emergency services.
Ovzon is using frequencies held by the Government of Cyprus and it is Cyprus which will have to again mount an appeal with the ITU’s Radio Regulations Board. Their ITU request will probably be to extend its permission for ‘bringing into use’ towards the end of 2024.
Ovzon had already warned that Maxar Technologies was nearing the Ovzon-3 completion, but had not yet completed its final assembly and testing. Additionally, the satellite has to then be integrated with its SpaceX rocket. Earlier in the year Ovzon switched from an Arianespace launch to SpaceX.