Global mobile satellite communications company Inmarsat has inked an agreement with Arianespace to launch its S-band satellite for the European Aviation Network (EAN) on an Ariane 5 heavy lift launch vehicle.
The EAN payload is part of a "condosat" constructed by Thales Alenia Space, which incorporates a second payload for Hellas-Sat and is scheduled to be launched from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana in mid-2017.
The condosat was originally scheduled for launch with SpaceX but a delay in SpaceX’s launch schedule resulted in the condosat to be moved to an Arianespace launch.
Inmarsat will now launch Inmarsat-5 F4, a Global Xpress (GX) satellite, with SpaceX, with the launch planned for the first half of 2017. The company says it is looking forward to continuing to work with SpaceX.
{loadposition peter}“We are delighted with flexibility that Arianespace has shown in being able to provide a launch slot that enables us to place our European Aviation Network S-band satellite in orbit by mid-2017,” said Michele Franci, chief technology officer, Inmarsat.
"This launch schedule supports the introduction of our ground-breaking integrated satellite and air-to-ground network, developed by Inmarsat and Deutsche Telekom, which will deliver a very high capacity broadband Wi-Fi experience for passengers flying throughout Europe.”