Latest news with #YurikoBackes
Broadcast Pro
10 hours ago
- Business
- Broadcast Pro
SES and Luxembourg Government to develop second satellite for GovSat
Built by Thales Alenia Space on the Spacebus 4000B2 platform, the new satellite will expand connectivity services for government clients by offering broader coverage. SES and the Luxembourg Government have announced their plan for development of a second satellite for GovSat (LuxGovSat S.A.), the public-private partnership and 50/50 joint venture between SES and the Luxembourg Government that provides secure, reliable and accessible satellite communication services for governments. GovSat-2 will be positioned over the European satellite arc. It will join GovSat-1 in augmenting reliable connectivity services for government customers over the region. The satellite will be built by Thales Alenia Space on its Spacebus 4000B2 platform. Since launching in 2018, the joint ventures first defence satellite, GovSat-1, operated by GovSat from a secure mission operations centre in Luxembourg, has supported the Luxembourg Directorate of Defence, EU and NATO nations, the U.S. Department of Defence, and other governmental users. The state-of-the-art GovSat-2 satellite will extend the coverage and scale of GovSat, and is designed to address the needs of defence users at the highest Security and Service Assurance Level. The satellite will add new ultra-high frequency (UHF) channels, X- and military Ka-band and will include other security features such as dedicated hardening, an advanced anti-jamming system and embedded geolocation. The investment in GovSat-2 is in line with SES's stated financial policy criteria, and also in line with prior combined company CAPEX guidance. The satellite will be co-funded by SES and the Luxembourg Government, subject to approval of the corresponding draft law by Parliament. Yuriko Backes, Minister of Defence of Luxembourg, said: 'The procurement of GovSat-2 underscores the success of the GovSat public-private partnership to provide Luxembourg, our allies and partners with secure military satellite communications that supplement their national systems and support a wide range of critical military, defence and civilian security applications. With GovSat-2, Luxembourg will once again demonstrate its significant impact in the field of Space.' Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES, added: 'With geopolitical shifts and an increased need for scalable national security and defence capabilities, we are seeing growing demand for secure, reliable geostationary (GEO) connectivity with comprehensive coverage across Europe, the Middle East and Africa as well as the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the Mediterranean and the Baltic Seas. As governments across Europe look to bolster their sovereign satellite communications for defence and intelligence needs, GovSat-2 gives GovSat additional MILSATCOM capacity to address this strategic area of growth.' Patrick Biewer, CEO of GovSat, stated: 'GovSat-2 reflects the growing demand in military satcom, allowing our GovSat public-private venture to scale and broaden the services we have been providing since 2018. For this brand new satellite, we are adding more frequency bands along with innovative functionalities for it to be well-positioned to address the future connectivity challenges the NATO and partner nations face.'
Business Wire
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
SES and the Luxembourg Government to Develop and Launch New Defence Satellite for GovSat
LUXEMBOURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SES and the Luxembourg Government today announced their plan for development of a second satellite for GovSat (LuxGovSat S.A.), the public-private partnership and 50/50 joint venture between SES and the Luxembourg Government that provides secure, reliable and accessible satellite communication services for governments. GovSat-2 will be positioned over the European satellite arc. It will join GovSat-1 in augmenting reliable connectivity services for government customers over the region. The satellite will be built by Thales Alenia Space on its Spacebus 4000B2 platform. Since launching in 2018, the joint venture's first defence satellite, GovSat-1, operated by GovSat from a secure missions operations centre in Luxembourg, has supported the Luxembourg Directorate of Defence, EU and NATO nations, the U.S. Department of Defense, and other governmental users. It has been providing connectivity for theatres of operation, interconnection of institutional as well as defence sites, border control, Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance, and various other types of communications for air, land and maritime missions. The state-of-the-art GovSat-2 satellite will extend the coverage and scale of GovSat, and is designed to address the needs of defence users at the highest Security and Service Assurance Level. The satellite will add new ultra-high frequency (UHF) channels, X- and military Ka-band, and will include other security features such as dedicated hardening, an advanced anti-jamming system, and embedded geolocation. The investment in GovSat-2 is in line with SES's stated financial policy criteria, and also in line with prior combined company CAPEX guidance. The satellite will be co-funded by SES and the Luxembourg Government, subject to approval of the corresponding draft law by Parliament. 'The procurement of GovSat-2 underscores the success of the GovSat public-private partnership to provide Luxembourg, our allies and partners with secure military satellite communications that supplement their national systems and support a wide range of critical military, defence and civilian security applications,' said Yuriko Backes, Minister of Defence of Luxembourg. 'With GovSat-2, Luxembourg will once again demonstrate its significant impact in the field of Space.' 'With geopolitical shifts and an increased need for scalable national security and defence capabilities, we are seeing growing demand for secure, reliable geostationary (GEO) connectivity with comprehensive coverage across Europe, the Middle East and Africa as well as the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the Mediterranean and the Baltic Seas,' said Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES. 'As governments across Europe look to bolster their sovereign satellite communications for defence and intelligence needs, GovSat-2 gives GovSat additional MILSATCOM capacity to address this strategic area of growth.' 'GovSat-2 reflects the growing demand in military satcom, allowing our GovSat public-private venture to scale and broaden the services we have been providing since 2018. For this brand new satellite, we are adding more frequency bands along with innovative functionalities for it to be well-positioned to address the future connectivity challenges the NATO and partner nations face,' said Patrick Biewer, CEO of GovSat. About SES At SES, we believe that space has the power to make a difference. That's why we design space solutions that help governments protect, businesses grow, and people stay connected—no matter where they are. With integrated multi-orbit satellites and our global terrestrial network, we deliver resilient, seamless connectivity and the highest quality video content to those shaping what's next. Following our Intelsat acquisition, we now offer more than 100 years of combined global industry leadership—backed by a track record of bringing innovation 'firsts' to market. As a trusted partner to customers and the global space ecosystem, SES is driving impact that goes far beyond coverage.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Pony.ai Europe Secures Luxembourg Robotaxi Testing Permit
GUANGZHOU, China, April 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Europe, the European division of global autonomous driving leader (NASDAQ: PONY), has obtained a scientific testing permit for Level 4 autonomous driving from Luxembourg's Ministry of Mobility and Public Works, the company announced today. This authorization expands global testing portfolio, building on existing permits in China, the United States, and South Korea. This milestone follows the company's establishment of Luxembourg as a European hub for research, development, and deployment. The initiative aims to accelerate autonomous driving innovation and integrate self-driving technologies into the country's next-generation transportation network. Luxembourg's Minister for Mobility and Public Works Yuriko Backes said: "The issuance of the testing permit marks an important milestone for the future of mobility. Autonomous driving is a major innovation that can transform our daily lives. The government is pleased to support companies like in their quest for new technologies and is committed to supporting initiatives that aim to make mobility safer and more efficient." Under the newly granted permit, will commence on-road testing in collaboration with Emile Weber, Luxembourg's premier mobility solutions provider. The collaboration leverages Emile Weber's expertise in delivering integrated mobility solutions across public transit, private transportation, and tourism sectors. Dr. James Peng, Co-founder and CEO of commented: " is honored to be among the first companies awarded a permit for autonomous vehicle testing in Luxembourg. Establishing our European hub in Luxembourg reinforces our commitment to making it the leading destination for autonomous mobility in Europe. This commitment is further strengthened through our partnership with Emile Weber, one of the region's most respected transportation providers." About Europe Europe ( Europe S.à r.l.) is the European division of a global leader in autonomous driving technology. Headquartered in Luxembourg, the company is well-positioned to expand its cutting-edge autonomous mobility solutions across Europe. Luxembourg's status as an innovation hub provides an ideal environment for to advance its research and operations. About Pony AI Inc. (" (NASDAQ: PONY) is a global leader in the large-scale commercialization of autonomous mobility. Leveraging its vehicle-agnostic Virtual Driver technology – a full-stack autonomous driving technology that seamlessly integrates its proprietary software, hardware, and services, is developing a commercially viable and sustainable business model that enables the mass production and deployment of vehicles across transportation use cases. Founded in 2016, has expanded its presence across China, Europe, East Asia, the Middle East, and other regions, ensuring widespread accessibility to its advanced technology. is among the first in China to obtain licenses to operate fully driverless vehicles in all four Tier-1 cities in China (Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen) and has begun to offer public-facing, fare-charging robotaxi services without safety drivers in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. operates a fleet consisting of over 250 robotaxis. To date, has driven nearly 25 million miles (40 million Kilometers) on open roads worldwide. Media ContactMedia@ View original content: SOURCE
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SES's O3b mPOWER Now Providing Connectivity Services to Governments via NSPA's MGS
Operational since April 2024, O3b mPOWER has been successfully activated for specific missions, and has seen The Netherlands joining the MGS agreement LUXEMBOURG, February 27, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Following a 2024 contract award from NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), SES started providing Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) Global Services to Luxembourg and U.S. governments via its O3b mPOWER constellation. Known as MEO Global Services (MGS), the contract awarded within NSPA's Global Commercially Contracted SATCOM Support Partnership (GCC SATCOM SP) initiated by the US and Luxembourg, allows NATO Members and NATO Partners participating to the agreement to build sovereign networks, or utilise fully-managed low-latency, high-performance satellite communications service. SES's MEO connectivity is enabling government organisations, agencies and militaries at global missions on land, at sea and in the air to run real-time applications like HD video calls and uninterrupted simultaneous downloads of other data-intensive applications in the background reliably. In the framework of MGS, the United States plan to install six MEO Sovereign Gateways in various locations across the globe, to ensure secure and resilient connectivity globally. Furthermore, in January 2025, The Netherlands officially joined the GCC SATCOM SP, underscoring growing multinational collaboration. Yuriko Backes, Luxembourg's Minister of Defence: "Enhancing secure and resilient satellite communications for defence and allied operations remains a priority for Luxembourg. Through MGS and the framework of the GCC SATCOM Support Partnership, we are leveraging SES's state of the art O3b mPOWER constellation to ensure high-performance satellite communication to support national requirements and put them to the benefit of NATO nations and our partners. We welcome our Ally the Netherlands joining this collaborative space endeavour." "The progress of the GCC SATCOM Support Partnership highlights the power of multinational cooperation in the space domain. By working together, participating nations gain access to secure, advanced satellite communications that enhance interoperability and operational flexibility. The addition of the Netherlands underscores the growing value of this partnership in strengthening NATO's space capabilities," said Stacy Cummings, NSPA General Manager. U.S. Space Force Brig. Gen. Jacob Middleton, Commander of U.S. Space Forces Europe and Space Forces Africa: "Integrating directly with Allies and partners through joint endeavors, such as the GCC SATCOM Support Partnership, builds trust, facilitates information sharing, and fosters a deeper understanding of common strengths and challenges. Increasing space capabilities through multinational cooperation is important to the region's deterrence and defense." Colonel Bernard Buijs, Head of Defence Space Security Centre, The Netherlands: "The best way to prevent a conflict is to keep communicating! To make this happen, the Netherlands firmly believes in the value of international cooperation, and through initiatives like the GCC SATCOM SP by NSPA, nations can come together to share expertise, leverage resources, and acquire unique capabilities that might be out of reach individually." SES's CEO Adel Al-Saleh: "Low latency, guaranteed service level agreements, flexibility and security of communications underscore O3b mPOWER's advantages as the capability of choice when it comes to serving the NATO nations. We are delighted to start delivering connectivity to the MGS founding countries, as well as to welcome new countries under the NSPA agreements." Follow us on: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram Read our Blogs > Visit the Media Gallery > About SES SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on Earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless data connectivity services around the world. As a provider of global content and connectivity solutions, SES owns and operates a geosynchronous orbit fleet and medium earth orbit (GEO-MEO) constellation of satellites, offering a combination of global coverage and high performance services. By using its intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES delivers high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners around the world. The company is headquartered in Luxembourg and listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at: View source version on Contacts For further information please contact: Suzanne OngCommunicationsTel. +352 710 725
