Satellite  |  2023-03-14

Cobham Satcom to Roll Out O3b mPOWER Transportable Terminals for SES

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

Range of man-portable and vehicle mount multi-orbit terminals enable new services on SES's O3b mPOWER for Government and Enterprise Users

Cobham Satcom, a leading global provider of radio and satellite communications solutions to the maritime and land sectors, and SES, the leading provider of global content connectivity solutions via satellite, announced today a contract for a range of O3b mPOWER-enabled Communications on the Pause (COTP) terminals. The contract consists of Cobham Satcom's rugged, man-portable LEO/MEO/GEO capable TACTICAL TRACKER terminal series ranging from 1.35 to 2.64 meters and the widely successful EXPLORER 8120 vehicle mount tracking antenna. The TACTICAL TRACKER Terminal serves the Government and Defense segment, while Government agencies, carriers, and enterprise customers utilize the EXPLORER terminals for service augmentation and restoration.

The active tracking TACTICAL TRACKER terminals will enable seamless connectivity across SES's multi-orbit network of Geostationary (GEO) and MEO satellites, with forward compatibility on SES's new MEO system O3b mPOWER, as well as SES's second-generation high-throughput low-latency constellation. The O3b mPOWER system represents a tremendous step forward in communication satellite capabilities, providing unprecedented flexibility and throughput. The new terminals expand Cobham Satcom's O3b mPOWER terminal portfolio, joining the recently certified Sea Tel 2400 Tri-band terminal for the energy market.

"We are pleased to provide new capabilities to SES for the growing COTP segment and to offer proven defense and enterprise solutions," noted Kirby Nell, VP of Business Development at Cobham Satcom. "The TACTICAL TRACKERs are the first, man-portable, multi-orbit terminals that actively track across GEO, LEO, and MEO systems, providing mission-critical connectivity to government customers. In addition, the adaptation of the well-proven EXPLORER 8120 also meets the needs of some of the largest telco carriers." 

About the Tactical Terminal and Explorer 8120

Cobham Satcom's TACTICAL TRACKER terminals, available in 1.35 m, 1.5 m, and 2.6 m apertures, are easily converted between Ku- and Ka-band and offer multi-band, multi-orbit COTP capabilities. The antennas are transported in rugged man cases and can be set up and operational within 30 minutes. Additionally, the terminals can be operated in a dual antenna make-before-break configuration, with a rapid retrace capability enabling a single antenna operation while preserving link security.

The EXPLORER 8120 is a rugged, field-proven 1.2 m tracking antenna, available in Ku and Ka-band versions, and easily adapts to a range of vehicles and platforms. It can be used in single or multi-antenna configurations, with rapid deployment and acquisition within minutes.