SpaceX launched the final three Boeing-built O3b mPOWER satellites for SES from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on September 13, 2026. The Falcon 9 mission brought the medium Earth orbit constellation to 13 spacecraft, with commercial and government service scheduled to begin by mid-2027.
SpaceX completed a major expansion of medium Earth orbit infrastructure on Sunday afternoon by launching the final trio of broadband satellites for its oldest commercial customer, SES. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station during an 87-minute window that opened at 2:49 p.m. EDT, according to Spaceflight Now.
The successful flight brings the total number of operational and incoming O3b mPOWER satellites up to 13 spacecraft. Each Boeing-built satellite carries a dry mass of 1,900 kilograms. Brevard County Emergency Management officials activated their launch operations support team ahead of the afternoon flight and deactivated them shortly after liftoff once the vehicle cleared the coast.
Falcon 9 Booster B1080 Completes 29th Mission
The mission relied on first-stage booster B1080, which marked its 29th flight. The booster previously supported cargo missions to the International Space Station, the European Space Agency’s Euclid observatory, SES’ Astra 1P, and 22 batches of Starlink internet satellites. More than eight minutes after liftoff, the booster descended toward the Atlantic Ocean and landed smoothly on the autonomous droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.
Sunday’s launch also marked a milestone for the Florida spaceport, representing the 400th orbital launch to take flight from Space Launch Complex 40. SpaceX accounts for 345 of those flights. The launchpad was upgraded in 2023 with a crew and cargo access tower, enabling Dragon missions starting with the CRS-30 cargo flight in March 2024.
Weather Hurdles and Countdown Milestones
Launch preparations moved forward despite an approaching line of storms moving from Florida’s Gulf Coast toward Central Florida. Meteorologists tracked wind gusts up to 40 mph and lightning as the weather system advanced. However, the 45th Weather Squadron upgraded its forecast prior to fueling, putting the odds of favorable launch conditions at 75 percent.
Launch weather officers noted that a lighter steering flow carried a defined offshore component, which helped stall the east coast sea breeze just long enough to keep immediate storm development at bay during the opening of the launch window.
Expanding the O3b mPOWER Constellation
The deployment path for the final three satellites—designated F11, F12, and F13—began nearly 34 minutes after liftoff, with a staggered release schedule spaced seven minutes apart. The constellation’s expansion follows a series of earlier deployments that began in December 2022, with subsequent pairs launched in April 2023, November 2023, December 2024, and July 2025.
SES adjusted its fleet planning after an electrical issue discovered prior to the launch of the fifth and sixth satellites impacted both broadband capacity and estimated operational life. To compensate, engineers modified satellites 7 through 11 and added two supplementary spacecraft to the architecture. Boeing announced the final delivery in early September 2026.
“The delivery of these final three satellites allows us to ramp up our constellation’s capabilities to meet growing commercial and government demand.”
Xavier Bertran, chief product and innovation officer of SES
Executives emphasized that the software-defined architecture has already proven its value on orbit. The performance we are seeing from the 10 satellites already on orbit validates this architecture,
Bertran added, noting that the completed system reinforces the company’s position in medium Earth orbit.
Commercial and Military Demand Ahead of 2027 Entry
The newly launched satellites will spend the coming months completing orbit-raising maneuvers, technical checkouts, and commissioning. Boeing projects that the spacecraft will enter commercial and government service by the middle of 2027.
“The fully operational O3b mPOWER constellation proves the effectiveness of our software-defined payload technologies, shown by our ability to secure the most demanding missions of our commercial, joint-force and allied military customers.”
Ryan Reid, president of Boeing Satellite Systems International