An Inmarsat I-5 satellite for its Ka-band GX Aviation service.
VT iDirect is beginning the final leg of the rollout of its iDirect Velocity ground infrastructure platform to support Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) satellite fleet.
iDirect is to start over-the-air testing of iDirect Velocity on the Inmarsat-5 F3 satellite.
The company says the initiative follows the successful Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Over-the-Satellite Acceptance Testing (OSAT) of iDirect Velocity™ on Inmarsat-5 F1 and F2 satellites, as well as Site Acceptance Testing at Inmarsat’s GX earth stations, ready for GX global service introduction.
iDirect is providing Inmarsat with the first deployment of its iDirect Velocity platform, including the core features that enable GX’s unique broadband mobility capabilities.
Through the iDirect Velocity global bandwidth management system, Inmarsat can integrate capacity across multiple spot beams to deliver seamless broadband connectivity and provide tiered service options to its distribution partners.
The iDirect Velocity platform’s high-speed infrastructure, including the core remote module technology that powers GX terminals, allows Inmarsat to offer broadband connectivity that is up to 100 times faster than Inmarsat’s existing L-band constellations.
Michele Franci, Chief Technology Officer, Inmarsat, said: “GX is operational over our first satellite, which entered commercial service across EMEA and Asia in July last year, and is providing service and supporting Alpha & Beta test campaigns, thanks in a large part to iDirect Velocity.”
Mary Cotton, Chief Executive Officer, iDirect, said: “With the launch of GX, we’re uniting iDirect’s world-class ground infrastructure with Inmarsat’s worldwide reach to meet growing demand for connectivity across high-value markets.
“Our partnership has enabled both companies to work in unison to solve emerging challenges related to high throughput satellites (HTS) and ensure that this critical technology development creates new opportunities across the satellite industry.”
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