Insight | Launch success
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Yesterday, we successfully launched our Inmarsat-5 F2 (I-5 F2) satellite, a tremendous achievement for our business and for the satellite communications industry. I think anyone who has ever been involved with a satellite launch will agree that they are wracked with mixed emotions beforehand. However yesterday, at Inmarsat, I was struck by the overriding sense of excitement, anticipation and confidence. And we are right to be confident, given our 100% successful launch track record.
At 04:02 GMT this morning we received confirmation that the payload had separated from the launch vehicle and that I-5 F2 was now ready to be manoeuvred into position – a process which will take several weeks to complete.
Our US$1.6bn Global Xpress (GX) network will be the first service to offer ubiquitous, globally available, high-speed mobile broadband from a single network operator. Regardless of whether you are in the middle of an ocean, above the clouds, in the heart of a desert, or on top of a mountain; we allow users to interact with their connected world.
The GX network will also power technical innovation. We have recently announced the opening of our technology platforms to third party application developers, who for the first time will be able to develop bespoke solutions to benefit end users, utilising our GX capacity and ultimately our L-band platforms as well. This open-technology model, on the back of the most powerful global commercial communications network available, means that our satellites are breaking down barriers and truly liberating people in their day-to-day activities.
This concept of partnership and collaboration has been key to our progress, and as a company we cannot succeed without our commercial partners. These range from the global titans such as Cisco, and Boeing (responsible for building our new generation of GX satellites) to the myriad of smaller technology companies who work with us on our software, hardware and applications. We are part of an ever-growing and enriching supply chain.
In particular, I would like to say thank you to our experienced team at Inmarsat for all of their work to get to this point. I’m privileged to work not only with the most dedicated and innovative individuals in the industry, but also alongside our world-renowned partners. They understand that the ‘internet of everywhere’, which we are creating, has significant potential to transform lives.
Rupert Pearce was Inmarsat’s Chief Executive Officer from January 2012 until February 2021. Rupert joined Inmarsat in January 2005 as Group General Counsel and, from January 2009, additionally held the position of Senior Vice President, Inmarsat Enterprises. Previously, Rupert worked for Atlas Venture, where he was a partner working with the firm’s European and US investment teams. He was previously also a partner at the international law firm Linklaters, where he spent 13 years specialising in corporate finance, M&A and private equity transactions. Rupert received an MA (First Class) in Modern History from Oxford University and won the 1995 Fullbright Fellowship in US securities law, studying at the Georgetown Law Center. He has been a visiting fellow of the Imperial College Business School, London, lecturing on the school’s Entrepreneurship programme, and is the co-author of Raising Venture Capital (Wiley).
