Global Xpress Service Begins

 

30 June 2014

 

With the successful completion of extensive satellite and end-user tests, Inmarsat is pleased to announce that its first Inmarsat-5 Global Xpress (GX) satellite has achieved commercial service introduction (CSI), beginning with United States (US) Government customers within the satellite’s Indian Ocean Region coverage area. 

 

US Government customers are the first users of Inmarsat Global Xpress. “The unique combination of global coverage and military satellite communications (MILSATCOM) interoperability makes Global Xpress an ideal complementary solution for government users,” said Peter Hadinger, President of the US Government Business Unit.  “Alongside their available MILSATCOM resources, governments now have the ability to efficiently extend wideband coverage, increase their capacity and enhance resiliency without investment in additional satellites.  We are proud that Global Xpress has been selected to meet some of the United States Government’s most critical needs and pleased to already have them online and operational.”

 

Operationally tested and proven

Since its launch last December, the first GX satellite and its supporting ground network and terminal infrastructure have been undergoing extensive tests.  Evaluations with US Government customers were woven into Inmarsat’s own testing of Global Xpress commercial capabilities.  These customers assessed an impressive range of land and aeronautical terminals via a complex and demanding series of demonstrations, resulting in breakthrough performance for data rates and link efficiencies. “GX performance was incredible – meeting, and usually well exceeding, all threshold and objective criteria,” said Steve Gizinski, Inmarsat’s US Government Business Unit’s Vice President of Special Programs, who led Inmarsat’s US Government Customer Test Program.  “We thank our customers, their support contractors, a host of equipment vendors and the highly professional team across all of Inmarsat for making these tests a success.”

 

Firms participating in these tests represent a ‘Who’s Who’ of the MILSATCOM community, including: ASC, Boeing, DRS, Ultra Gigasat, Gilat, Honeywell Aerospace, Hughes, Inmarsat Government, iDirect Government Technologies, L-3 GCS, L-3 Datron, Micro-Ant, Newtec, Tampa Microwave, TECOM Industries, Thales, ThinKom, and ViaSat.

 

As the Global Xpress system moves toward full global operations, expected to take place in the first half of 2015, Inmarsat and its partners are on pace to introduce a broad array of GX products and services spanning the Maritime, Enterprise, Energy, Aviation and Government markets worldwide.  A growing catalogue of US Government services can be purchased today through Airbus, Boeing, Inmarsat Government, L-3 3Di, Satcom Direct Communications and their respective Service Providers.