SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket to Launch Inmarsat’s Newest Satellite
February 28, 2022 | InmarsatEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the second in the Inmarsat-6 series of satellites, I-6 F2, from Cape Canaveral, Florida in Q1 2023. Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries launched the first of the series, I-6 F1, in December 2021 and its fully electric propulsion system is now raising it to a geostationary orbital slot, 36,000km (22,000 miles) over the Indian Ocean. I-6 F1 will enter service in early 2023, following testing later this year, with I-6 F2 scheduled to follow into operation over the Atlantic later in 2023.
I-6 F1 and F2 are identical, with the payloads designed and manufactured in the UK at Airbus’s facilities in Stevenage and Portsmouth, prior to final assembly in Toulouse, France. The most sophisticated commercial communications satellites ever built, they are each almost as large as a London double-decker bus and, when their solar arrays are opened to their full 47m (154 feet) width, they have a ‘wingspan’ similar to a Boeing 767.
The I-6s are Inmarsat’s first dual band satellites, carrying both ELERA (L-band) and Global Xpress (GX – Ka-band) payloads. The Inmarsat 6 series of satellites will play a crucial role in the ongoing growth of the company’s unique ORCHESTRA dynamic mesh network.
This revolutionary layered approach is designed to meet the accelerating bandwidth requirements of more diverse, demanding and ever more widely adopted applications in the commercial and government mobility markets. By drawing on the unique capabilities of each component, it will deliver high performance connectivity everywhere, while eliminating the longstanding industry-wide challenge of congestion at high demand hot spots, like busy ports, airports, sea canals and flight corridors, for good.
ORCHESTRA’s unprecedented combination of global coverage, unparalleled capacity and resilience will provide customers with a low-risk transition to next generation service capabilities, enabling new business models and use cases well into the future. For example:
- Urban Air Mobility: Complete command and control and secure air traffic management capabilities for the safe operation of autonomous flying taxis and personal air transport.
- Industrial IoT: Secure, device-neutral, private networks for large scale IoT deployments that can integrate, manage and monitor disparate sensors and devices via a single cloud environment.
- Smart Cruise Ships: High speed, low latency passenger, crew and operational connectivity solutions for ferries and cruise ships, enabled through global satcom and on-board 5G networks.
- Tactical Private Networks: Bespoke, high-speed, local area, temporary ‘sovereign’ networks to connect international aid, forces or government agencies in the field while securely relaying critical data home for analysis.
Rajeev Suri, Inmarsat CEO, said: “As our journey towards delivering the world’s first dynamic mesh network, Inmarsat ORCHESTRA, continues at pace, the launch of our I-6 family of satellites is a crucial step. As well as providing additional capacity for our ELERA and Global Xpress services for our customers into the 2030s, these incredibly sophisticated satellites also form an important piece of the puzzle for the exciting future ahead that ORCHESTRA represents. Combining terrestrial 5G with satellites in both low Earth orbit and geostationary orbit into Inmarsat ORCHESTRA, a single network of networks, demonstrates how we are at the leading edge of innovation, ensuring unparalleled capabilities for our customers for the long term.
“SpaceX is a valued launch partner for Inmarsat having successfully launched GX-4 in 2017. Their innovative reusable launch vehicle model supports Inmarsat’s commitment to drive sustainability throughout our supply chain and operations. The use of flight proven boosters and fairing for this launch demonstrate the drive to further sustainability in space operations.”
Details on the precise date for the launch will be provided once confirmed by Inmarsat and SpaceX.
Suggested Items
Micron First to Ship Critical Memory for AI Data Centers
05/01/2024 | MicronMicron Technology, Inc. announced it is leading the industry by validating and shipping its high-capacity monolithic 32Gb DRAM die-based 128GB DDR5 RDIMM memory in speeds up to 5,600 MT/s on all leading server platforms.
HQ NextPCB of HQ Electronics Debut on the International Stage for Electronics Manufacture at IPC APEX 2024
05/01/2024 | PRNewswireHQ NextPCB of HQ Electronics, a leading Chinese-based multilayer PCB manufacturer and assembly house showcased its industrial prowess on the international stage for the first time at the IPC APEX Expo 2024.
GPV’s Q1 2024 Interim Financial Report Shows Strong Navigation in Uncertain Times
05/01/2024 | GPVDanish-based GPV recorded an expected drop in sales to DKK 2.3 billion for the first quarter of 2024. The decline also affected the operating profit, which was DKK 155 million compared to DKK 179 million in the same quarter last year, although the EBITDA margin was maintained. In general, demand has been softer in 2024, but GPV continues to invest for the long-term and expects the trend to turn in the second half of 2024.
The Knowledge Base: A CM’s Perspective on Box Build Practices
04/30/2024 | Mike Konrad -- Column: The Knowledge BaseIn the ever-evolving landscape of electronics manufacturing, the box-build process stands out as a critical phase that bridges the gap between individual component manufacturing and the delivery of a fully functional electronic system. This intricate procedure, encompassing the assembly of everything from PCBs to wire harnesses and mechanical enclosures, demands a high level of precision, efficiency, and innovation. As the electronics assembly industry expands and diversifies, understanding the best practices within box-build assembly has become paramount for manufacturers aiming to stay ahead in a competitive market.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
04/26/2024 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineIn this week’s roundup, we have a variety of articles covering everything from design through assembly, and even box build. I’ve always wondered whether box build was all it was cracked up to be. Do customers really pick one EMS provider over another because one company offers box build? And if you’ve ever wanted to volunteer, IPC’s Thought Leaders Program is looking for a few good technologists to help them on their mission. Check out Stanton Rak’s article, which was published in the spring issue of IPC Community.