Boeing Gains on Next Satellites

Boeing (NYSE: BA) shares gained ground Wednesday, on word the plant maker has successfully delivered the ninth and 10th O3b mPOWER satellites to content and network provider SES, advancing the company's effort to provide global connectivity from space. The satellites, which feature Boeing's fully software-defined payload technology to actively allot power to meet user needs, are en route to Kennedy Space Center, Fla. for a planned launch this summer."The O3b mPOWER spacecraft are the most capable and flexible commercial satellites to ever operate in space," said Michelle Parker, vice president, Boeing Space Mission Systems. "Many of us have tried to connect from an airplane or cruise ship and found the connection unreliable. Our software-defined payload technology allows SES to deliver high-speed, reliable connectivity, adapting in real-time to user demand."The O3b mPOWER system, SES's second-generation constellation operating in medium Earth orbit (MEO, approximately 8,000 km from Earths' surface), is designed to transform industries with terabit-level capacity, low latency, and unmatched service availability. These two spacecraft will join the first eight satellites already on orbit, further enhancing SES's ability to deliver high-speed, reliable connectivity to its users.Boeing teams are working closely with SES to prepare the ninth and 10th satellites for launch this summer, while Boeing team members continue production on an additional three O3b mPOWER satellites to support SES's launch plans.BA shares jumped 49 cents to start Wednesday at $210.28.