Fueling Begins for Inmarsat 5 F2 Proton Launch

Technicians preparing Proton for launch. Photo: Khrunichev

[Via Satellite 01-28-2015] Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center reports the Proton Integrated Launch Vehicle (ILV) has been transferred to the fueling area at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Fueling the Breeze-M upper stage low-pressure tanks will take two days to complete, after which the rocket will be rolled out to the launch complex. International Launch Services (ILS) is conducting the mission, which will launch Inmarsat’s second Global Xpress (GX) High Throughput Satellite (HTS) Inmarsat 5 F2.

The GX constellation, consisting of three satellites and one spare, is expected to be more than 100 times faster than the Inmarsat’s fourth generation (I-4) constell

ation’s broadband services. Each satellite carries 89 beams and six steerable high-power spot beams for multi-regional coverage. The Inmarsat 5 F2 satellite’s footprint will cover the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean.

The third GX satellite is schedule to launch early in the second quarter of 2015, with global commercial service beginning in the second half of the year. Boeing is the prime contactor for Inmarsat’s GX satellites.