Anuvu orders 2 tiny Geo-sats
August 4, 2021
By Chris Forrester
Anuvu, which is the new name for In-Flight Connectivity business Global Eagle Entertainment, has ordered up two small geostationary satellites as part of a fleet of eight in a new mini-constellation.
Anuvu will use the satellites, due for launch in 2023, to serve WiFi on aircraft, boats and remote locations in North America and the Caribbean region.
The satellites will be built by San Francisco-based Astranis. The Astranis mission is to build lower-cost but more powerful satellites. The company claims to be able to build a satellite in 12-18 months, “about five-times faster than our competitors”. Earlier this year in April Astranis raised $250 million from a group of investors led by BlackRock and Baillie Gifford.
The order from Anuvu is for micro cube-shaped satellites of some 1 metre in size and weighing under 400 kgs.