![]() ![]() Defense Department.īalkheyour declined to say what Arabsat paid for the Falcon Heavy mission (SpaceX advertises Falcon Heavy launches as $90 million). Lockheed Martin has three other LM2100 satellites under construction: Japanese operator Sky Perfect JSAT’s Jcsat-17, and two SBIRS missile warning satellites for the U.S. The first LM2100, SaudiGeoSat-1/Hellas Sat-4, launched in February on a European Ariane 5 from Arianespace. “We were scheduled about a month ago, we had to do more checks and quality assurance stuff with the satellite,” he said. Arabsat-6A is just the second to use Lockheed Martin’s modernized LM2100 satellite platform, which features over two dozen upgrades, including new avionics, flexible solar arrays and a reprogrammable mission processor.Īrabsat was Lockheed Martin’s first customer for the LM2100, and while Balkheyour said Arabsat is impressed with the platform, it felt the need to conduct additional testing prior to launch. “I don’t mind that as long as we get it right and in orbit with good quality checks and good health,” he said.Īnd the delays were not solely SpaceX. SpaceX experienced delays with the Falcon Heavy that pushed the Arabsat-6A launch to 2019, a setback Balkheyour said was upsetting, but tolerable. Balkheyour said preliminary calculations show the satellite will get an extra boost from Falcon Heavy that should extend its life to between 18 and 20 years. “We needed more lifetime for the satellite, so we had the option: Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy, and we decided to go with Falcon Heavy,” he said.Īrabsat-6A is a large satellite, weighing 6,460-kilograms. The company selected Falcon Heavy in September for a mission anticipated in late 2017 or 2018.īalkheyour said Arabsat chose the Falcon Heavy in order to extend the lifespan of the Arabsat-6A satellite beyond the 15 years a geostationary communications satellite is typically designed to last. Saudi Arabia-based Arabsat announced plans to launch with SpaceX in spring 2015, but at the time hadn’t decided between the Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy. The mission is SpaceX’s first with a commercial Falcon Heavy customer. Upper level winds in the atmosphere scrubbed yesterday’s launch attempt. Eastern from Space Launch Complex 39A in Cape Canaveral, Florida. ![]() SpaceX’s launch of the Arabsat-6A communications satellite is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Looking for Inmarsat service for your enterprise or organization? Speak with an Expert.COLORADO SPRINGS - Arabsat chose SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket to launch its newest satellite in order to give the satellite a longer lifespan, Khalid Balkheyour, Arabsat’s chief executive, said in an interview with SpaceNews. ![]() Overall, Inmarsat's coverage is designed to provide reliable and secure satellite communication services to a broad range of customers in remote and challenging environments. ![]() In addition, Inmarsat offers specialized services such as and IsatPhone for satellite phone communications. I-4 which offers L-band services including BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network), FleetBroadband, and SwiftBroadband, which cater to different types of users and provide varying levels of data speeds and connectivity. The company offers three main networks: I-5 for Global Xpress delivers high-speed broadband to ships, aircraft and mobile satellite Internet users. Inmarsat provides global coverage through its network of satellites, with the exception of the extreme polar regions. ![]()
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