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Japanese World Solar Challenge team stays connected

The biennial race – a showcase for solar-powered alternatives to conventional vehicle engines – covers a gruelling 3,000 km (1,865-mile) route from the north to the south of Australia.

JSAT Mobile Communications, together with equipment manufacturer Addvalue Communications, will support a team of engineers from Kogakuin University in Tokyo, Japan.

Support teams

The students will use Wideye SAFARI land vehicular BGAN terminals and IsatPhone Pro global satellite phones to stay connected with the support teams following the race car.

Throughout the race they will be able to exchange real-time telemetry data on the solar-powered car's performance, as well as road condition and weather forecast information.

The Inmarsat services will also allow the team members to give their supporters, families and media in Japan frequent updates on the progress of the week-long race, which starts from Darwin on 6 October.

The route to Adelaide runs through the heart of the Australian outback, where mobile and terrestrial coverage is poor or non-existent.