SES has agreed a strategic collaboration with US-based K2 Space to accelerate the development of an upgraded medium earth orbit (MEO) network.
SES already operates the O3b mPOWER MEO constellation, with the companies beginning joint development activities earlier this year to validate new network technologies ahead of a first planned on-orbit mission in Q1 2026.
SES says the project marks a move away from traditional long-cycle satellite development models towards a more iterative approach designed to respond more quickly to market requirements.
“Our future MEO network will evolve through agile innovation cycles,” said Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES.
“By collaborating with K2 Space and other trusted innovative partners, we’re combining our solutions development experience and operational depth with NewSpace agility to develop a flexible, software-defined network that adapts to customer requirements.”
The network will be designed with open architecture to support commercial and government applications, with capabilities to include hosted payloads, space situational awareness, and direct-to-device data relay.
