TAMPA, Fla. — International regulators have given Ovzon one other six months to supply services from its debut satellite following a series of producing and launch delays for the project, the Swedish satcoms provider announced Oct. 31.
The corporate risked losing priority spectrum rights for Ovzon 3 after a change in launch providers from Arianespace to SpaceX helped put it on target to miss an earlier Dec. 31 ‘Bring into Use’ deadline, already prolonged a yr following manufacturing delays at Maxar Technologies.
Although the SpaceX Falcon 9 mission is slated for as soon as December, it will take Ovzon 3 several months to succeed in its geostationary orbital slot at 59.7 degrees East using onboard electric propulsion.
Ovzon said its latest deadline extension from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the spectrum enforcement arm of the United Nations, is “well in line” with its latest launch window.
Ovzon 3 was originally slated to launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy in 2021, before shifting to a greater take care of Arianespace, and then to a Falcon 9 following Maxar’s manufacturing delays.
Announcing earnings results Oct. 20, the Swedish company said Ovzon 3 was on target to be shipped to SpaceX’s launch site in Cape Canaveral, Florida, by late November following testing and assembly progress.
Ovzon currently provides broadband services by leasing capability from other satellite operators.
The corporate had expected 2023 revenues to are available much like the 357 million Swedish krona ($32 million) recorded for 2022, but is now taking a look at 250 million Swedish krona for the yr amid delays in finalizing latest orders.