Inmarsat GX5 rendering

GX5, Inmarsat’s newest and most advanced satellite to date has entered into commercial service serving the aviation needs of Europe and the Middle East.

The satellite’s orbital position, at 11° East, provides an optimal position for European connectivity services and has been designed specifically for regional demand and air traffic patterns over Europe and the Middle East’s busiest airspaces.

GX5 is the 14th satellite currently in service with Inmarsat and heralds the start of a major development programme to enhance the GX network’s capacity and capabilities.

According to Inmarsat, GX5 delivers approximately twice the capacity of the entire existing GX satellite fleet (GX1-GX4) combined.

GX5 is designed to provide connectivity services to existing GX terminals, whilst providing a step change in connectivity for next generation terminals being introduced in the near future.

Philip Balaam, President of Inmarsat Aviation, said: “We are delighted to take the next step in this ambitious roadmap with GX5’s entry into commercial service. This is our most powerful satellite to date, delivering more capacity over Europe and the Middle East than the four existing GX satellites combined. In addition to transforming the quality of aviation connectivity today, it will ensure that our customers remain at the cutting-edge of technology innovation as their needs evolve and air traffic recovers in 2021 and beyond.”

Inmarsat’s technology roadmap will see seven further launches by 2024: five in geostationary orbit – adding speed, capacity and resilience – and two in highly elliptical orbit, which will enable the world’s only commercial mobile broadband service in the commercially and strategically critical Arctic region.

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