International Launch Services (ILS) and Inmarsat (LSE:ISAT.L) the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services have agreed to a future launch of an Inmarsat satellite on board an ILS Proton from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The Proton launch vehicle is Russia’s mainstay heavy-lift launcher and is built by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center (Khrunichev), the majority owner of ILS and one of the mainstays of the Russian space industry. The Proton vehicle is in its 51st year of service and has conducted over 400 missions with 92 commercial satellites launched under the auspices of ILS.
The ILS Proton was the selected launcher to deploy Inmarsat’s Global Xpress Network. The three initial satellites (Inmarsat-5 F1, Imarsat-5 F2 and Inmarsat-5 F3) together form the first globally available high-speed mobile broadband network, delivered through a single provider. Global Xpress serves the advanced mobility needs of Inmarsat’s existing customers on land, at sea and in the air. The most recent launch in the series, Inmarsat-5 F3, was launched by ILS Proton on August 29, 2015. All three satellites were successfully launched into Super-Synchronous Transfer Orbits (SSTO), maximizing their operational lifetime.
Kirk Pysher, President of ILS said, “We are honored to be considered by Inmarsat as the launch services provider for one of their future missions. We thank Inmarsat for their continued trust and support in Proton over 20 years and look forward to supporting the next mission and launch and providing Inmarsat with timely access to space.”
About ILS and Khrunichev
ILS provides launch services for global satellite operators and offers a complete array of services and support, from contract signing through mission management and on-orbit delivery. ILS has the rights to market the Proton and Angara vehicles to commercial satellite operators worldwide and is a U.S. company headquartered in Reston, VA., near Washington, D.C. To date, ILS has launched 92 commercial missions. For more information, visit www.ilslaunch.com.
Khrunichev, which holds the majority interest in ILS, is one of the cornerstones of the Russian space industry. Khrunichev manufactures the Proton system and the Angara family of vehicles. The Proton vehicle launches from facilities at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and has a heritage of more than 400 missions since 1965. Khrunichev includes, among its branches, a number of key manufacturers of launch vehicle and spacecraft components in Moscow and in other cities of the Russian Federation. For more information, visit www.khrunichev.com.
About Inmarsat
Inmarsat plc is the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services. Since 1979, Inmarsat has been providing reliable voice and high-speed data communications to governments, enterprises and other organizations, with a range of services that can be used on land, at sea or in the air. Inmarsat employs around 1,600 staff in more than 60 locations around the world, with a presence in the major ports and centres of commerce on every continent. Inmarsat is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE:ISAT.L). For more information, please visit www.inmarsat.com
