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Thales Alenia Space wins NIGCOMSAT contract to build NigComSat-2A geostationary satellite

September 14th, 2026

Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has signed a contract with Nigeria’s government-owned NIGCOMSAT Ltd to develop a new telecommunications satellite operating from geostationary orbit.

The communications satellite, named as NigComSat-2A, is set to strengthen Africa’s digital connectivity. It will deliver reliable and secure communication services, including high-quality television broadcasting, fast and stable internet access even in remote areas, and modern digital applications like voice calls and streaming.

The satellite will also expand access of digital services in underserved and remote communities, while supporting the growing connectivity needs of African households, businesses, public institutions and industries.

By improving access to reliable broadband and communications infrastructure, NigComSat-2A will contribute to greater digital inclusion, economic opportunity, knowledge sharing and access to information across the continent.

With a launch mass of nearly 4 tons, NigComSat-2A will cover the region extending from West and Central Africa to Southern Africa. The satellite will provide greater flexibility and resilience to Africa’s communications infrastructure, supporting the continent’s rapidly growing digital economy and the increasing demand for connectivity in areas where terrestrial networks remain limited or difficult to deploy.

Its expected operational in-orbit service life exceeds 15 years. The Thales Alenia Space-built satellite will be based on the company’s Spacebus B2 platform.

“The signing of this contract represents a bold step in Nigeria’s journey toward digital transformation,” stated Nkechi Jane Egerton-Idehen, Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer of NIGCOMSAT. “NigComSat-2A will not only strengthen our nation’s satellite communications capacity but also expand access to reliable broadband and digital services for millions of Africans,

especially in underserved and remote communities. This project underscores NIGCOMSAT’s commitment to driving connectivity, fostering innovation, and enabling economic growth across the continent. We are proud to partner with Thales Alenia Space in delivering a satellite that will empower Africa’s digital future.”

“I would like to thank NIGCOMSAT for placing their trust in our company,” stated Hervé Derrey, President and CEO of Thales Alenia Space. “NigComSat-2A geostationary satellite will enable NIGCOMSAT to strengthen its competitive position by delivering reliable, high-quality services that meet the growing demand for connectivity and digital content worldwide. This announcement also underscores the success of our Spacebus B2 product line, renowned for its reliability, robustness and time-to-market efficiency”.

SES’s Final Three O3b mPOWER Satellites Successfully Launched

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Additional O3b mPOWER satellites complete constellation and strengthen performance, resiliency and reach of SES's MEO network

original SES’s Final Three O3b mPOWER Satellites Successfully Launched

SES’s Final Three O3b mPOWER Satellites Successfully Launched

thumbnail SES’s Final Three O3b mPOWER Satellites Successfully Launched

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LUXEMBOURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SES today announced the successful launch of its eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth O3b mPOWER satellites, further expanding its second-generation medium Earth orbit (MEO) system designed to offer high-performance connectivity services around the world.

The three satellites launched at 2:49 pm local time aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

“This launch marks a defining milestone for SES as we complete the O3b mPOWER constellation and further strengthen our MEO capabilities,” said Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES. “More importantly, it reinforces our ability to deliver resilient, secure and scalable connectivity for customers around the world, helping governments, enterprises, cloud providers and mobility customers meet their most critical needs. As customer demands continue to evolve, SES is focused on building smarter, more integrated solutions that bring together the strengths of multiple technologies and orbits to deliver seamless connectivity worldwide.”

With this launch, SES reinforces its proven leadership in MEO while advancing its innovation roadmap. Once operational by mid-2027, the newly launched O3b mPOWER satellites will support:

Expanded high-performance connectivity capacity for enterprise, government, mobility and telecom customers operating in underserved, remote, and demanding environments.

Additional resiliency and flexibility across the O3b mPOWER system.

Continued progress toward SES’s next-generation MEO network strategy that sets the foundation for the next generation of sovereign, secure communications, space data relay and hosted payloads.

The three satellites launched today will join the 10 O3b mPOWER spacecraft already in operation, offering services ranging from tens of Mbps to multiple gigabits per second of capacity to any site.