SES Deploys MEO Satellite Connectivity for Refugees in Chad
SES, a space solutions company, is expanding humanitarian connectivity at the Farchana refugee settlement in Chad in cooperation with emergency.lu, the public-private partnership led by Luxembourg’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, and the UN Refugee Agency. Within the framework of the Connectivity for Refugees initiative, the deployment utilises SES’s O3b mPOWER satellite network to provide dependable, high-speed internet for humanitarian teams and essential services for refugees.
This marks the first emergency.lu deployment using O3b mPOWER satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), representing an expansion beyond the programme’s previous use of geostationary (GEO) satellites for rapid disaster-response missions. Furthermore, it represents a new application for the platform altogether.
Whilst emergency.lu has traditionally supported first responders and emergency operations, this deployment is designed to connect refugees and the humanitarian organisations that enable services such as online learning, digital skills training, community connectivity centres, and reliable day-to-day communications.
The deployment was carried out by personnel from Luxembourg’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade on the ground, following hands-on training at SES’s headquarters in Luxembourg. Built for sustained use and flexible expansion, the communication kit is designed to support longer-term operations and evolving on-site needs.
Beyond Emergency Response to Long-Term Support
By adding O3b mPOWER to the emergency.lu toolkit, the partnership strengthens its ability to provide connectivity beyond the first days of a crisis, supporting continued access to education, healthcare services, and communications when displacement and humanitarian response extend for months.
“Connectivity can change a day—and a life. With this deployment, a classroom can keep teaching and access guidance, humanitarian workers can support displaced communities, and families can stay in touch,” said Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES. “With the addition of SES’s high-throughput, low-latency Medium Earth Orbit capabilities, we have adapted the solution to move from emergency restoration to everyday communications reliability for displaced communities, and are proud to support the Luxembourg Government’s teams as they bring this service online in Farchana.”
Additionally, the deployment demonstrates how satellite technology can address protracted displacement situations, where refugees may remain in settlements for extended periods. By providing reliable connectivity infrastructure from the outset, the initiative supports both immediate humanitarian needs and longer-term development objectives, including educational continuity and economic opportunities for displaced populations and their host communities.