SES, a leader in space solutions, is making strides in expanding humanitarian connectivity at the Farchana refugee settlement in Chad. This initiative is a collaborative effort with the emergency department. Lu, a public-private partnership spearheaded by Luxembourg’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, alongside the UN Refugee Agency.
Emergency.lu is designed to restore communications in the aftermath of both artificial and natural disasters, supporting humanitarian organisations’ coordination efforts in affected areas.
As part of the Connectivity for Refugees initiative, SES is leveraging its O3b mPOWER satellite network to deliver reliable, high-speed internet to humanitarian teams and essential services for refugees themselves, marking a significant milestone as the first deployment of emergency. Lu is utilising O3b mPOWER satellites, which operate in medium Earth orbit (MEO), marking a notable shift from the program’s previous reliance on geostationary (GEO) satellites during rapid disaster response efforts.
While emergency. Lu has historically focused on immediate response for first responders and emergency operations. This new deployment aims to provide connectivity to refugees and the organisations that support them, and it will facilitate online learning, digital skills training, community connectivity centres, and reliable communication for day-to-day needs.
The deployment was executed by personnel from the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, following specialised training at SES’s headquarters in Luxembourg. The communication kit is designed for long-term use and can be adapted to evolving needs on the ground.
By incorporating O3b mPOWER into emergency. Lu’s toolkit, SES, enhances its capability to provide connectivity not just in the immediate aftermath of a crisis, but also to ensure sustained access to education, healthcare services, and communication during prolonged periods of displacement and humanitarian response.
