SES has officially announced plans to order the first 28 satellites at startup K2 Space for its medium Earth orbit network (MEO) next generation called meoSphere. Expected, that the new network will start working by 2030 year.
Key deal and network details:
Joint development: SES will integrate its own software-controlled payloads (payloads), which are developed in Luxembourg, with platforms (satellite buses) high power from K2 Space.
Technical characteristics: Each satellite will have power 20 kW, which significantly exceeds the indicators of previous generations. The network will support broadband communication in the Ka-band at a speed of up to 1 Gbps for small antennas (25x25 cm).
Optical channels: The satellites will be equipped with terminals for optical intersatellite communication (OISL) at a speed of 100 GBIT/with, which will allow data to be transferred between satellites and orbital data centers.
Scalability: The first phase of 28 devices is just the beginning; the total number of satellites in the network can reach close to 100 units depending on market demand.
Appointment: The system is oriented towards the state, defense and commercial sectors, offering high security, resistance to obstacles and the possibility of placing additional equipment (hosted payloads).
Implementation schedule:
Beginning 2026 year: It is planned to launch the first demonstration mission to validate technologies in orbit.
For 2026 year: The project is included in the capital expenditure plan of SES.
2030 year: Full commissioning of the meoSphere network.
The move will allow SES to compete with such players, like SpaceX, offering cheaper and more powerful solutions thanks to K2 Space's innovative approach to manufacturing satellite platforms.
Source: https://spacenews.com