London-based satellite operator Inmarsat has ordered a 5^th Global Xpress satellite. The surprise is that Inmarsat has switched supplier, from Boeing which built the original quartet to a new vendor, Thales Alenia Space of France.

Intelsat has only just launched its 4^th craft, on May 15th, and has yet to designate which part of the globe it will cover.  However, the operator says that Global Xpress 5 will serve over the Middle East, Europe and India.

Launch for Global Xpress 5 is 2019, and Inmarsat says the order: “reflects Inmarsat’s strategy of adding capacity to its already established, unique, high-speed global broadband network in areas of high customer demand and against new customer commitments.”

At the same time Inmarsat says it has agreed a contract with Qatar Airways to equip more than 130 of its aircraft fleet with inflight equipment for in-flight broadband.

Thales Alenia Space has just finished building Inmarsat’s S-band satellite (which is a so-called ‘condominium’ satellite with HellasSat sharing the platform) and due for launch on June 28^th aboard an Ariane 5 rocket.

Categories: Articles, DTH/Satellite