Inmarsat has introduced a new international broadcast and automatic reception service for maritime safety information providers designed to help update the global maritime distress and safety system. The SafetyNET II service for maritime safety information will help MSIP units migrate current communications capacities to web-based messaging, Inmarsat said Tuesday. SafetyNET II was designed to provide broadcast […] More

Peter Hadinger, president of Inmarsat‘s U.S. government business unit, has said that ongoing military operations require an improved acquisition model for satellite communications and further integration of commercial satcom systems. Hadinger stated during a presentation at the Global MilSatCom 2017 event in London that military satcom challenges stem from budget, acquisition and cultural issues instead of technological capabilities, Inmarsat said Friday. […] More

Rebecca Cowen-Hirsch, senior vice president of government strategy and policy at Inmarsat‘s U.S. government business unit, facilitated a recent panel discussion on the use of commercial business models to address the Defense Department‘s satellite communications access challenges. Inmarsat said Thursday the forum took place Monday during the Global MilSatCom 2017 event and featured industry executives who offered their insights […] More

Imarsat has selected France-based company Arianespace to help launch a fifth Global Xpress communications satellite from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. Arianespace said Friday it aims to send Global Express-5 satellite for Inmarsat into orbit with the  Ariane 5 heavy-lift launcher platform within the second half of 2019. Thales Alenia Space will build GX-5 based on the modernized […] More

Rebecca Cowen-Hirsch, senior vice president for government strategy and policy at Inmarsat, has said government personnel and warfighters should adopt a satellite communications platform that “moves” with them to facilitate voice, video and data sharing and carry out missions amid disasters and global conflicts. Hirsch told the Mobile Satellite Users Association in an interview published […] More

Australia’s air force has begun to use Inmarsat‘s satellite communications service on a C-130J Hercules transport aircraft as part of an effort to create new ways for air platforms to support deployed forces. Inmarsat said Friday the air force is using the Global Xpress service through Honeywell‘s JetWaveTM Ka-band satcom platform for a six-month trial that […] More

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will serve as the launch provider for a satellite that Airbus built for Inmarsat‘s sixth generation satellite fleet. The Inmarsat-6 F1 satellite will be launched aboard the MHI H-IIA launch vehicle in 2020 to offer new capacities for the former’s customers including advanced global safety services, mobile services and Internet of Things applications, […] More

The U.S. Agency for International Development has partnered with Inmarsat to help Southeast Asian commercial fishing crews adopt sustainable fishing practices. Inmarsat said Friday the alliance seeks to leverage communications technology to support catch documentation and traceability efforts in the region. USAID’s Oceans and Fisheries Partnership Oceans will also work with Inmarsat to aid communications between crew members of medium […] More

Northrop Grumman‘s Astro Aerospace subsidiary has conducted a preliminary design review of L-band reflectors for two communications satellites that Airbus currently develops for Inmarsat. Astro Aerospace will work to mature the reflectors’ design before the Inmarsat-6 satellite program undergoes a critical design review later this year, Northrop said Wednesday. Inmarsat awarded Airbus’ defense and space business a […] More

Inmarsat has completed a flight test to demonstrate the capability of its Global Xpress satellite network to deliver high-speed communications coverage to users aboard a Gulfstream IV aircraft. Global Xpress worked to deliver data, voice, internet access, video teleconferencing, application streaming and file transfer support services to the aircraft through the Honeywell-built tail mount antenna […] More

Rebecca Cowen-Hirsch, senior vice president for government strategy and policy at Inmarsat, has said she believes the commercial satellite communications industry will play a role in the establishment of an integrated and unified satcom architecture. Cowen-Hirsch wrote in a byline for MilsatMagazine’s HPA Corner that the U.S. government should create a strategy to adopt diverse commercial satcom capabilities […] More

Rebecca Cowen-Hirsch, senior vice president for government strategy and policy at Inmarsat, has said the Defense Department should collaborate with the commercial industry to accelerate the “analysis of alternatives” for the wideband satellite communications program. Cowen-Hirsch wrote in an article published Thursday on the National Defense magazine website that a cultural shift is needed to expedite AoA and […] More