LEO Relay Services

In a world that never stops moving, connections can’t wait

SES Space & Defense’s LEO Relay Services (LRS) enables real-time communication for LEO satellites, eliminating the need to wait for a direct-to-Earth line-of-sight to ground stations. Leveraging our MEO and GEO satellites provides a constant low-latency communication bridge, keeping missions connected, regardless of operational location. 

At SES Space & Defense, we deliver connectivity architecture designed for the next era of space-powered operations, elevating performance, expanding reach, and bringing new levels of agility to mission-driven teams that depend on seamless global communication.

 

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NASA announces its plan to commercialize satellite relay services, concluding future TDRS spacecraft procurements and issuing TDRS sunset letter deciding no further TDRS spacecraft procurements – TDRS sunset letter

April

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NASA CSP contract awarded to SES Space & Defense

June

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SES Space & Defense demonstrates in orbit relay on NASA CSP with Planet Labs

July

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SES Space & Defense demonstrates in orbit relay with Johns Hopkins University / Applied Physics Laboratory (Polylingual Experimentation Testbed – PExT)

April

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SES completes Lynk Direct to Device ground demonstration of relay

October

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First commercial service contract signed

January

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SES Space & Defense signs contract with Starlab to provide real time communications for human habitats

Why SES SD

In every orbit, every mission, every moment, connectivity matters.

Backed by the industry’s largest ground infrastructure, SES Space & Defense seamlessly interconnects LEO constellations, providing a redundant space-based relay layer with end-to-end connectivity across the LEO domain.

Leveraging our next-generation MEO constellation, O3b mPOWER, enables high-throughput and always-on connectivity from MEO to ground relay services, eliminating contact gaps while supporting immediate sensor data transfer and real-time command of LEO space vehicles.

Telemetry, Tracking, and Command (TT&C) and tasking for LRS are enabled through continuous MEO connectivity, ensuring reliable command, control, and health monitoring. Secure, API-driven interfaces integrate with existing tasking and scheduling systems, delivering automated control to establish relay contact with satellites, high-rate tasking via omnidirectional MEO Ka-band, and low-rate forward links via GEO C-band.

Always on

  • Constantly available MEO to ground relay
  • Overcome contact gaps over inaccessible land or sea

Real Time Delivery

  • Persistent data relay for mission-sensitive operations
  • Reduce the time of mission data to end customers

Tasking

  • TT&C & Tasking options include omni Ka for higher rates and GEO C-band for low-rate forward

Open Architecture

  • Waveform and hardware agnostic, with the flexibility to support a range of customer security, transport, and CONOP needs

Scale Globally

  • Single commercial service – global coverage
  • Region-specific services