Satellites in Inmarsat’s GEO fleet, including Inmarsat-6 F1 seen here entering thermal vacuum tests, will work in harmony with its LEO satellites under Orchestra. Credit: Inmarsat / Airbus Defence and Space
Inmarsat, the 42-year-old British satellite operator that took itself private in a 2019 buyout, plans to spend $100 million over the next five years preparing to enter the increasingly competitive low-Earth-orbit market.
The company announced in late July that it will enter the arena to better serve mobility verticals, unveiling plans for at least 150 LEO spacecraft to complement its fleet in geostationary and highly elliptical orbits from 2026. Inmarsat’s plan includes a terrestrial 5G network in high-demand areas to support the multi-orbit network it calls Orchestra.
Inmarsat Q&A: Orchestrating a new multi-orbit broadband constellation – SpaceNews
