Global mobile satellite communications services provider Inmarsat confirmed the third satellite in its Global Xpress program—Inmarsat-5 F3—will launch Aug. 28. It is scheduled to be deployed at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 12:44 p.m. (BST).
The third Global Xpress satellite to be launched, I-5 F3, will cover the Pacific Ocean region and will, together withInmarsat-5 F1 (I-5 F1) and Inmarsat-5 F2 (I-5 F2), create the world’s first globally available, high-speed mobile broadband service, delivered through a single provider.
Inmarsat’s fifth generation satellites have all been built by Boeing Satellite Systems in California. The launch is being undertaken for Inmarsat by International Launch Services (ILS) using a Proton launch vehicle.
According to Inmarsat, Global Xpress will deliver broadband speeds “around 100 times faster than the company’s fourth generation (I-4) constellation. It will offer new opportunities for customers, in both the public and private sectors, to significantly enhance their connectivity and to access bandwidth-hungry applications, even in the remotest and most inaccessible regions of the world.”
Inmarsat CEO Rupert Pearce said: “The completion of the Global Xpress constellation will be a significant milestone for our organization and is fundamental to the delivery of a new era in mobile satellite communications, which will change the future for us all.”
The first Global Xpress satellite (I-5 F1) was launched in December 2013 and entered commercial service in July 2014, covering Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. This was followed by the launch of I-5 F2 on Feb. 1, 2015, which covers the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean; it will enter commercial service later in August.
Following the successful launch of I-5 F3, Inmarsat expects to commence global commercial GX services by the end of the year.
Rotortrade is strengthening its support capabilities in East Africa through a cooperation with Helicopters International Ltd (“Helint”), an established helicopter maintenance and support p...
GOL Linhas Aéreas launched new nonstop service between Rio de Janeiro (GIG) and New York (JFK), marking the airline's first long-haul international route. The service began with inaugu...
Efforts to increase fuel efficient aircraft operation and an increasing demand for digital solutions are two main drivers for the aviation industry’s – a substantial transformation process...
Embraer announced Phenom 300EV, the latest evolution of the world’s best-selling light jet for 14 consecutive years. The aircraft is now updated with intuitive safety technology, including...
