Technol Technology/Montreal division of EMS Technologies Canada, Ltd., has recently
delivered the first two of three Inmarsat-4 L-Band Antenna Feeds to Astrium
Limited in Portsmouth, England.
These antenna feed arrays are designed, manufactured and tested by EMS
Space & Technology/Montreal for the Inmarsat-4 program. The last antenna feed
is scheduled for delivery at the end of April.
The Inmarsat-4 antennas are highly complex, PIM-free, 120-element,
combined transmit/receive L-Band arrays. PIM (Passive Intermodulation) is a
significant technical issue on any high-power satellite, particularly those
that provide mobile satellite services, and the reduction and elimination of
PIM is among EMS’s core competencies.
The Inmarsat 4 Antennas have been designed to support high-speed (432
kbit/s) mobile Internet access, video-on-demand, video-conferencing, fax and
e-mail for companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia through the
INMARSAT Broadband Global Area Network (B-GAN) program.
EMS’s multi-element cup-helix L-Band antenna feeds are considered to be
one of the most challenging subsystems of the INMARSAT B-GAN program. “EMS
has a long heritage in high-performance multi-element antenna feeds for mobile
satellite communications. This heritage was a key factor in the selection of
EMS to supply these critical spacecraft components,” said Dr. Gerry Bush,
president, EMS’s Space & Technology/Montreal.
About Astrium
Astrium is a joint company currently owned 75 per cent by EADS, European
Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, and 25 per cent by BAE SYSTEMS. (On
January 31, 2003, the two shareholders announced that EADS — subject to the
anti-trust approval — will completely assume the shares in Astrium). In
2001, Astrium had a turnover of 1.9 billion euros with 8,400 employees in
France, Germany, U.K. and Spain. Astrium is currently focusing on its
satellite business activities covering civil and military telecommunications,
Earth observation, science and navigation programmes, avionics and equipment.
About Inmarsat
Inmarsat owns and operates a global satellite network, has operating
licenses in 177 countries and is used by a worldwide group of service
providers, together offering a comprehensive range of mobile communication
service in the air, on land and at sea. In April 1999, Inmarsat changed from
being an intergovernmental organization to a private limited company
registered in the UK. Inmarsat currently has over 197,000 users serviced by
around 200 Inmarsat service providers in more than 80 countries.
About EMS Technologies, Inc.
EMS Technologies, Inc. is a leading innovator in the design
and manufacture of wireless, satellite and defense solutions. The Company is
headquartered in Atlanta, employs almost 1,700 people worldwide and has
manufacturing facilities in Atlanta, Ottawa, Montreal, the U.K. and Brazil.
For more information, visit EMS Technologies on the World Wide Web at
www.ems-t.com .
