Inmarsat

Inmarsat details GX expansion, OneSat satellite orders
Inmarsat’s recent large order showcases the company's confidence in continuing to invest in geostationary orbit — a notable commitment given the industrywide debate over the optimal orbits for broadband services.

Northrop Grumman to build two triple-payload satellites for Space Norway, SpaceX to launch
Northrop Grumman will build two satellites for Space Norway, each equipped with payloads for Inmarsat, the Norwegian Ministry of Defense, and the U.S. Air Force.

House proposes Ex-Im Bank extension to 2026 • GomSpace conducts more layoffs • Inmarsat wins potential $246 million DoD contract
An agreement reached in the U.S. House of Representatives June 18 could keep the Export Import Bank of the United States open until 2026.

Airbus to build trio of Inmarsat-7 satellites
The reprogrammable geostationary satellites mark the beginning of Inmarsat’s seventh generation fleet, previously referred to as Global Xpress Flex, or GX Flex.

Inmarsat shareholders approve takeover offer
The majority of Inmarsat’s shareholders voted May 10 in favor of a $3.3 billion acquisition offer by a consortium of investors.

ThinKom, Phasor, C-Com hit antenna milestones • Hughes, Inmarsat gain India IFC approvals
Antenna builder ThinKom and fleet operator Inmarsat recently announced the completion of a series of tests using ThinKom antennas and Inmarsat’s high-throughput Global Xpress satellites.

Inmarsat receives another acquisition offer — this time from a consortium of public and private investors
Inmarsat said it remain in discussion with the consortium, which under British law has until April 16 to make a binding offer.

Inmarsat to place GX Flex next-gen satellite system order this year
The satellite system, first discussed almost a year ago, will be markedly different from traditional communications satellite programs that often take three to four years to build and launch, he said.

Inmarsat books Japanese H3 rocket’s first commercial launch
British satellite operator Inmarsat announced Dec. 5 it will be the first commercial customer of the next-generation H3 rocket from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan.

Inmarsat preps new maritime product to fend off KVH competition
Rupert Pearce, Inmarsat’s CEO, said Nov. 8 that the company is taking steps to retain customers in its largest market segment, having identified broadband for social use among crews as the missing component of Inmarsat’s maritime service offering.

Inmarsat battles to maintain leadership in connecting the high seas
Inmarsat’s largest market — connecting ships at sea — is becoming increasingly competitive.

Inmarsat not for sale, CEO says
Inmarsat CEO Rupert Pearce said Wednesday the two purchase offers Inmarsat received from EchoStar this summer priced the company too low to take seriously.

Inmarsat rejects second EchoStar merger proposal
U.S. fleet operator EchoStar on July 6 abandoned a $4.25 billion effort to buy Inmarsat after the British satellite operator rejected EchoStar’s second merger offer in less than a month.

Eutelsat says it’s weighing a bid for Inmarsat
Eutelsat's disclosure comes less than three weeks after London-based Inmarsat rejects an unsolicited acquisition offer from EchoStar.

Inmarsat rejects EchoStar takeover proposal
British satellite operator Inmarsat rejected an acquisition offer from EchoStar Corp. of Englewood, Colorado, curbing hopes that consolidation could reduce an oversupply of satellite capacity.

Arabsat Falcon Heavy mission slated for December-January timeframe
SpaceX’s first Falcon Heavy launch with a commercial satellite is scheduled to occur around the end of the year, according to customer Arabsat.

Iridium breaks Inmarsat monopoly on maritime safety communications
The UN certified Iridium Communications to provide Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS) services, ending Inmarsat’s monopoly on the internationally required service for ships, Iridium said May 21.

Eutelsat takes French telecom regulator to court over Inmarsat’s EAN license
Continuing its country-by-country fight against Inmarsat’s European Aviation Network, French satellite fleet operator Eutelsat is returning to its home country regulator to challenge Inmarsat’s recently granted authorization.

Belgian court punches hole in Inmarsat’s European Aviation Network
A Belgian court reversed approval for Inmarsat’s European Aviation Network in the country after fleet operator Viasat challenged the legality of its authorization.

Inmarsat, Deutsche Telekom complete European Aviation Network
British satellite operator Inmarsat and mobile network operator Deutsche Telekom have finished building the ground infrastructure for the hybrid satellite and cellular European Aviation Network (EAN).