Inmarsat-4 is the fourth generation of satellites for the London-based
global mobile satellite communications operator Inmarsat.
Designed to be around 100 times
more powerful than the present generation and to provide a ten-fold increase in
communications capacity, the satellites will support the new Broadband Global Area Network
(B-GAN), to be introduced in 2004 for internet and intranet solutions, video on demand,
video-conferencing, fax, e-mail, telephone and high-speed LAN access. Two of the
satellites were launched in 2005 while the third remained on the ground as a spare until 2008, when it also was launched.
As prime contractor, Astrium delivered both the platform (based on the high-power Eurostar-3000GM version of Astrium's
Eurostar series) and the payload, including the on-board processor.
In addition On Inmarsat-4 F3, a Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) navigation package operating in C-band for uplink and L-band for
downlink provides precision Global Positioning System-based guidance information to aircraft at thousands of airports and landing strips that lack such a capability today.
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