Inmarsat, a leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, has confirmed the launch date for the first of its game-changing Global Xpress (GX) satellites; Inmarsat-5 F1 (I-5 F1).
The satellite is scheduled to be launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard an International Launch Services (ILS) Proton Breeze M at 12.12 GMT on Sunday, 8th December.
Rupert Pearce, CEO of Inmarsat, said: “Global Xpress is the result of three years of planning and, together with a fourth GX satellite we ordered recently from Boeing, represents an investment of US$1.6 billion in our next generation of high bandwidth, high capacity, mobile broadband communications satellites. Global Xpress will ensure our satellite services fully support the current and future needs of end-users across the world - whether on land, at sea or in the air.”
The GX fleet is on schedule to achieve full global coverage by the end of 2014. It will offer a unique combination of seamless global coverage from a single operator, consistent higher performance of up to 50Mbps to mobile or fixed terminals, and the network reliability for which Inmarsat is renowned.
The launch of Inmarsat-5 F1 can be watched live online at http://inmarsat5f1.imgondemand.com/ on 8th December 2013.