Inmarsat-5 F2 satellite arrives at launch site

18 December 2015: The second Global Xpress (GX) satellite - Inmarsat-5 F2 - has arrived at Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, in anticipation of its launch early in 2015.

The satellite left the Boeing El Segundo facility on 16 December, and was flown from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in an Antonov AN-124 heavy transporter.

Inmarsat-5 F2 is the second of three satellites that will form Inmarsat's GX fleet, providing seamless, globally available, high-speed broadband services on land, sea and in the air. When in orbit, it will cover the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean Region.

Testing completed

The first GX satellite - Inmarsat-5 F1 - was launched at the end of 2013 and began delivering regional commercial services over Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia in July this year.

The Inmarsat-5 F3 satellite has completed its final testing and is now ready for shipping from the US to Kazakhstan in early 2015. Inmarsat-5 F3 will complete the Global Xpress constellation by providing coverage over the Pacific Ocean Region.

GX is scheduled to commence global commercial services early in the second half of 2015.

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