"This is an important milestone for Global
Xpress," said Rupert Pearce, CEO of Inmarsat.
"The testing of the Boeing built platform
and payload has been completed and shown to meet
all the specifications. This is a testament to
the dedication of Inmarsats Global Xpress
team and the skill and professionalism of our
partners: Boeing and iDirect."
The high-speed mobile broadband satellite, launched
on Dec. 8, will support a wide range of government
and commercial customer uses, including in-flight
connectivity, communications for vessels at sea,
streaming video and other voice and data services.
"This delivery is the first of the significant
milestones we expect to accomplish during this
landmark year in the Boeing-Inmarsat relationship,"
said Craig Cooning, chief executive officer of
Boeing Satellite Systems International in a statement
Mar 11.
Boeing is under contract to build four Inmarsat-5
satellites, with two more scheduled for completion
and launch by the close of 2014. The fourth satellite
is scheduled to be delivered in 2016. The Inmarsat-5
satellites carry a secondary payload that Boeing
Commercial Satellite Services will lease to potential
government customers through a reseller agreement
with Inmarsat.
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