SES and Thales Reach Record Speed and Enhanced Coverage via Integrated GEO/MEO Network, Raise Bar for Inflight Connectivity
23 Octobre 2019 - 08:55AM
Business Wire
Interoperable GEO/MEO platform enables seamless
switching between GEO and MEO satellite beams, opening the door for
O3b connectivity to disrupt the skies as it has the seas
SES and Thales have taken inflight connectivity to a new level,
successfully demonstrating uninterrupted access to high-throughput
broadband applications for the first time over a platform
supporting multi-orbit interoperability, switching seamlessly
between SES’s geostationary (GEO) and O3b medium earth orbit (MEO)
satellite beams. The demo flight from Melbourne, Florida to the
Atlantic coast of Nicaragua saw dozens of switches successfully
completed between GEO and MEO beams, and between multiple MEO
satellites within a beam, using the Hughes JUPITER(TM) Aeronautical
system high performance airborne modem system, SES and Thales
announced today.
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SES and Thales Reach Record Speed and
Enhanced Coverage via Integrated GEO/MEO Network, Raise Bar for
Inflight Connectivity (Photo: Business Wire)
Engineers aboard the test flight were able to simultaneously use
a broad range of bandwidth-hungry services demonstrating rates in
excess of 265 Mbps via the Thales FlytLIVE connectivity network
featuring the Hughes JUPITER System and a Hughes ModMan integrated
with the ThinKom Ka2517 phased-array airborne antenna. Leveraging
the same high-powered, low-latency O3b MEO capacity that has
already redefined connectivity at sea, the engineers were able to
demonstrate quality and reliable delivery of 4K video streaming,
super-fast social media networking, e-commerce transactions, audio
conferencing, interactive gaming and web browsing on-board the
Gulfstream G-III aircraft.
The seamless integration of SES’s satellite networks offers
customers unprecedented redundancy, leveraging two diverse systems
to ensure uninterrupted service: GEO for network resiliency and
proven fibre-like high-performance from O3b MEO. The O3b
constellation of 20 MEO satellites is manufactured by Thales Alenia
Space. SES expects upcoming GEO/MEO trials to deliver even higher
connectivity speeds, a precursor of things to come for both
commercial and business aviation as SES nears the scheduled 2021
launch of its O3b mPOWER system.
O3b mPOWER is SES’s fully funded, next-gen, ultra-high-capacity,
low-latency, and highly flexible MEO satellite-based data
communications system. A scalable terabit-level constellation with
35,000 fully-shapeable and steerable beams, O3b mPOWER is
backwards-compatible with the first-generation O3b MEO system and
can deliver a whole new level of customisation that allows
bandwidth to be tailored to specific passenger and operational
connectivity requirements over certain travel routes and
regions.
SES’s interoperable GEO/MEO platform has already been validated
in the cruise industry, revolutionising the guest experience at sea
by delivering up to 1 Gpbs per ship to major cruise lines around
the world with its managed MEO- and GEO-based connectivity service.
The test flight paves the way for SES to similarly redefine the
connected air passenger experience by enabling different
operational models, including blanketing of large dense traffic
routes, bolstering of capacity around major airports, or even
following individual aircraft from take-off to landing – all at
record speeds and with low latency.
“The world’s first low-latency, high performance broadband aero
experience is closer than ever before with this tremendously
successful demonstration of MEO and GEO interoperability. Driving
scale and performance into our customers’ networks is fundamental
in delivering the best passenger experience in the skies. Our
cruise customers have long experienced the benefits of the combined
power that low latency MEO- and GEO-based connectivity brings to
network performance and resilience. This innovation is now on its
way for connected commercial and business air travel,” said Steve
Collar, CEO of SES. “We are gearing ourselves up for the launch of
O3b mPOWER and now, with a demonstrated ability to roam seamlessly
across our GEO and MEO networks, our customers will enjoy
unprecedented speed and performance from our O3b constellation,
while also benefiting from the scale and reach of our GEO
fleet.”
"The cutting edge products Thales is bringing to the market with
both internal developments, as well as leaders in the industry, is
exciting for the future of our FlytLIVE connectivity solution,”
said Philippe Carette, Chief Executive Officer, Thales InFlyt
Experience. “This proof-of-concept demonstration introduces an
operational Hybrid network that will provide satellite network
redundancy with continuous and seamless high-speed internet in
areas otherwise hindered by congestion. The system offers a
consistent passenger experience gate-to-gate; Ka-band coverage on
routes where GEO satellites do not currently exist; and is fully
compatible with the new SES-17 satellite built by Thales Alenia
Space that is scheduled to enter commercial service in early
2021.”
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About SES
SES is the world’s leading satellite operator with over 70
satellites in two different orbits, Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and
Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). It provides a diverse range of customers
with global video distribution and data connectivity services
through two business units: SES Video and SES Networks. SES Video
reaches over 355 million TV homes, through Direct-to-Home (DTH)
platforms and cable, terrestrial, and IPTV networks globally. SES
Video delivers a full suite of innovative end-to-end value-added
services for both linear and digital distribution, and includes the
ASTRA satellite system, which has the largest DTH television reach
in Europe. SES Networks provides global managed data services,
connecting people in a variety of sectors including
telecommunications, maritime, aeronautical, and energy, as well as
governments and institutions across the world. The SES Networks
portfolio includes GovSat, a 50/50 public-private partnership
between SES and the Luxembourg government, and O3b, the only
non-geostationary system delivering fibre-like broadband services
today. Further information is available at: www.ses.com
About Thales
Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global technology leader
shaping the world of tomorrow today. The Group provides solutions,
services and products to customers in the aeronautics, space,
transport, digital identity and security, and defence markets. With
80,000 employees in 68 countries, Thales generated sales of €19
billion in 2018 (on a pro forma basis including Gemalto).
Thales is investing in particular in digital innovations —
connectivity, Big Data, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity —
technologies that support businesses, organisations and governments
in their decisive moments.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191022006244/en/
Suzanne Ong Public Relations Tel. +352 710 725 500
suzanne.ong@ses.com
Giaime Porcu Thales Civil Aerospace Tel. +33 (0)1 57 77 92 18
giaime.porcu@thalesgroup.com
Thales (EU:HO)
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