Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Space
  • /
  • Inmarsat's GX5 on its way to launch

Space

Inmarsat's GX5 on its way to launch

Inmarsat will be launching its fifth Global Xpress satellite (GX5) later this year.

Above: The Inmarsat GX5 satellite beginning its journey from the Thales Alenia Space facility in Cannes to Nice airport, from where it begins a day long journey to the Arianespace launch facility in French Guiana on an Antonov 124-100 aircraft.
Courtesy Thales Alenia Space / Emmanuel Briot

Advertisement
Tritax 300x250

Built by Thales Alenia Space, the Very High Throughput Satellite (V-HTS) is the most powerful GX satellite to date and will deliver twice the capacity of the entire existing GX fleet of four spacecraft combined.

With this ground-breaking milestone coming, the satellite has started its journey from Nice, France yesterday to the Arianespace launch centre in Kourou, French Guiana.

Above: The Inmarsat GX5 satellite being loaded on its Antonov 124-100 transport aircraft before commencing a day long journey to the Arianespace launch facility in French Guiana.
Courtesy Thales Alenia Space

The launch of GX5 will mark the next stage in the transformation of GX Aviation. Inmarsat is planning to launch a further 7 GX payloads over the coming four years, including two payloads dedicated to the Arctic region. The new Global Xpress (GX) payloads will support the rapidly growing demand for seamless, reliable, high-speed mobile broadband services in the Arctic and throughout the world.

Advertisement
ODU RT

In commercial markets, the GX Arctic payloads are designed to specifically address the needs of merchant fleets, fishing vessels, commercial airlines and the energy market, where high-speed mobile broadband connectivity is driving both major operational and efficiency improvements and supporting the introduction of new business models.

 

 

Advertisement
General Atomics LB
UK space weather probes capture solar radiation spike

Space

UK space weather probes capture solar radiation spike

27 November 2025

New balloon-mounted space radiation probes developed by the Surrey Space Centre at the University of Surrey have captured their first measurements of a major solar storm, confirming the research team’s model, which indicates the flare caused the highest levels of radiation at aviation altitude in almost two decades.

UKSA, IMEO and GHGS team to tackle methane emissions

Space

UKSA, IMEO and GHGS team to tackle methane emissions

25 November 2025

The UK Space Agency (UKSA) has announced a significant collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO), reinforcing the UK’s leadership in tackling one of the most urgent climate challenges: methane emissions.

Nammo UK to supply main engine for Argonaut Lunar Lander

Space

Nammo UK to supply main engine for Argonaut Lunar Lander

24 November 2025

Space propulsion solutions provider, Nammo UK, has been confirmed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and Thales Alenia Space to supply the main engine for the Argonaut Lunar Lander to support NASA’s Artemis programme.

Airbus-built OneSat selected for first Omani satellite

Space

Airbus-built OneSat selected for first Omani satellite

24 November 2025

Space Communication Technologies (SCT), Oman’s national satellite operator, has awarded a contract to Airbus Defence and Space for OmanSat-1, a fully reconfigurable high throughput OneSat telecommunications satellite and associated system.

Advertisement
Tritax 300x250
Spaceflux awarded UK Government space surveillance and tracking contracts

Defence Security Space

Spaceflux awarded UK Government space surveillance and tracking contracts

20 November 2025

UK-based specialist in space domain awareness (SDA) and space intelligence, Spaceflux Ltd, has won all three major multimillion-pound, multiyear UK government contracts to provide advanced space surveillance and tracking (SST) data across multiple orbital regimes.

BAE Systems advances RH12 Storefront

Space

BAE Systems advances RH12 Storefront

20 November 2025

BAE Systems has added new capabilities to its next-generation, radiation-hardened 12 nanometer (nm) Storefront.

Advertisement
ODU RT