British operator Inmarsat plans to add at least 150 low-Earth-orbit satellites to its global fleet, stepping up competition against OneWeb and others developing megaconstellations for mobility markets. The company is investing $100 million over the next five years to lay the groundwork for deploying 150-175 LEO spacecraft.They aim to join satellites Inmarsat has in geostationary and highly elliptical orbits from 2026.
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.Although these plans require new regulatory licenses, Inmarsat already operates 14 satellites and has plans in place for adding five new GEO and two HEO spacecraft to its fleet.SpaceNews caught up with Todd McDonell, Inmarsat’s president of global government, to find out what Orchestra means for government customers that make up about a third of the company’s revenues.
