Eutelsat leases Ku satellite to Global Eagle
May 4, 2021
By Chris Forrester
In-flight communications and entertainment business Global Eagle has leased Ku-band capacity on Eutelsat’s 7A craft.
The satellite, launched in 2004 (and with a minimum design life of 15 years) was originally called Eutelsat W3A. When new it had 38 Ku-band transponders. It was renamed Eutelsat 7A in 2011 and operated from 7 degrees East.
Global Eagle want the capacity to serve their airline customers and the deal covers “multi-year, multi-transponder” usage. The satellite is being moved to its new location and renamed Eutelsat 139WA.
While Global Eagle will want the craft’s capacity it does not have to be as precisely on station as is usual with a geo-stationary craft. Consequently, even though the satellite will over time have to operate in an inclined orbit such operation will not impact reception of signals to Global Eagle.
Philippe Oliva, Chief Commercial Officer of Eutelsat said: “We are delighted to accompany our long-standing partner, Global Eagle, as it reinforces its worldwide mobility network. This contract reflects both the excellence of Eutelsat’s global in-orbit resources and our flexibility to quickly redeploy assets to grasp market opportunities whilst demonstrating the long-term resilience of the mobility market.”
Nancy Walker, SVP Commercial, Aviation Connectivity at Global Eagle added: “This agreement with Eutelsat enables us to further reinforce our multi-band, multi-satellite networks, which provide high-performance and consistency to our end-users. Our clients will have the benefit of staying connected with capacity from over 50 satellites connected through 28 teleports around the globe, which means faster, more reliable service for their passengers.”