Inmarsat-5 F1

Spacecraft nº:

Inmarsat spacecraft nº: 14

Launch data: Designation  39476 / 13073A Launch date  08 Dec 2013 - 12:12 UT Launch site  Baikonur, LC-200/39 Launch vehicle  Proton-M/Briz-M Mission  Communication Geostationary orbit: Perigee / Apogee   km Eccentricity   Inclination   ° Period   min

Spacecraft data:

Description:

• INMARSAT 5-F1 is one of the $1.6 billion next-generation Inmarsat fleet satellites aimed to boost connectivity speeds for users on-the-move in airplanes, on boats and on land. With 89 fixed and steerable Ka-band beams, the Global Xpress satellites represent new territory for Inmarsat, which used a different radio band on earlier satellites. Switching from L-band to Ka-band improves downlink communications speeds to 50 megabits per second, with up to 5 megabits per second on the uplink side. And users can link up with the Global Xpress satellites with smaller terminals. INMARSAT 5-F1 will take up operations at 63 degrees east longitude covering the Indian Ocean region.
• Each Inmarsat-5 satellite will carry 89 Ka-band beams that will operate in geosynchronous orbit with flexible global coverage. The satellites are designed to generate approximately 15 kilowatts of power at the start of service and approximately 13.8 kilowatts at the end of their 15-year design life. To generate such high power, each spacecraft's two solar wings employ five panels each of ultra triple-junction gallium arsenide solar cells. The BSS-702HP carries the xenon ion propulsion system (XIPS) for all on-orbit maneuvering. When operational, the Inmarsat-5 satellites will provide Inmarsat with a comprehensive range of global mobile satellite services, including mobile broadband communications for deep-sea vessels, in-flight connectivity for airline passengers and streaming high-resolution video, voice and data.

Mission details:

• Inmarsat PLC's first Inmarsat 5 satellite, carrying the Ka-band Global XPress communications payload, was launched from Baykonur on Dec 8, 2013.
  The Inmarsat 5 satellites, with 6090 kg launch mass, are BSS-702HP models built by Boeing/El Segundo.
• The Proton reached a -495 x 170 km orbit and the first Briz burn put the stack in a 173 x 173 km parking orbit. Further burns delivered I5-F1 to a 4306 x 64809 km x 26.7 deg supersynchronous transfer orbit via intermediate orbits of 295 x 6000 km, 360 x 14847 km, and 475 x 65044 km. The Briz-M stage and drop tank are being tracked, but there seems to be no orbital data yet for the payload.

Satellite tracking: