CPI Vertex Antennentechnik, a subsidiary of Communications & Power Industries (CPI), has been selected to provide high-performance Ka-band antenna systems to SES for its O3b mPOWER communications system. These ground-based 5.5-meter Ka-band "plug and play" series tracking antennas will be used for O3b mPOWER Gateway systems.

The O3b mPOWER system is SES's second-generation medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellite constellation. Based and built on the success of its current generation O3b system, O3b mPOWER is intended to deliver high-performance connectivity services to enterprises, telco operators, internet service providers, cloud providers, cruise operators, governments, and institutions around the world, enabling them to complement their existing communications infrastructure. The O3b mPOWER system is expected to deliver the industry's best throughput, predictable performance, and highly available satellite networks, and is anticipated to be operational by the end of 2023.

CPI Vertex Antennentechnik is a leading provider of high-performance antennas for satellite communications. CPI Vertex Antennentechik's modular antenna systems are designed to support Ka-band and Q/V-band satellites and provide flexibility and scalability while delivering excellent RF (radio-frequency) performance and high-data throughput. They will be critical components of the O3b mPOWER system, enabling high-speed, reliable connectivity for a wide range of government and commercial applications.

"SES has worked closely with CPI Vertex Antennentechnik to develop these antenna systems for the O3b mPOWER system for the past few years. CPI's 'plug and play' design significantly reduces the onsite deployment time compared to a typical antenna system of this specification. It offers superior RF performance without the need of special tools and training. In addition to being used as our Gateway systems, CPI's Ka-band antenna systems are also a reliable and robust product that can be deployed to our commercial and government customers," said Milton Torres, chief technical officer of SES.

"CPI Vertex Antennentechnik has been working hand-in-hand with SES to develop customized 'plug and play' antennas for the O3b mPOWER program for almost two years. As a global communications technology company, we were able to rapidly address SES's requirements and progress from design concept to development to delivery of the first prototype by December 2022. We look forward to continuing to work closely with SES to ensure the success of this groundbreaking project," said Peter Fasel, managing director of CPI Vertex Antennentechnik.

Click here to learn about CPI's Ground Station Satcom Antennas.

Click here to learn about SES's MEO Satellite Constellation.