The Inmarsat Story Around MH370 Leaves a Mark
It was my pleasure to sit down recently with Mark Dickinson, Inmarsat’s VP of satellite operations, at Inmarsat’s head office in Old Street, London to talk about the company’s role in helping locate the missing MH370 flight. It felt less an interview and more a conversation about what was a very dramatic time for Inmarsat as information from its satellites was key in helping investigators track the movement of the aircraft. While there is often talk about satellites being marginalized going forward through the onset of telecoms and wireless technologies, this is yet another example of how important they are in all facets of life.
In this edition of Via Satellite, we are delighted to introduce a new section to the publication: “Generation Next.” In it, we will talk to bright, young engineers in aerospace to see what attracted them to the industry, why working in space is as compelling now as it was for the generations in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and where they feel the industry is going next. This is a more switched-on generation than ever before, and I am intrigued over the coming months to read their visions and thoughts for the industry going forward.
We are also getting ready for our second edition of the Via Satellite Excellence Awards, which will be held at SATELLITE again this year. With more awards, recognizing people and companies throughout the industry, it promises to be a great occasion. In this edition, we preview the technology company of the year award, which is one of the most competitive of the awards. As recent events have shown, innovation in the satellite industry is key to a better world and, as an industry, we are blessed to have many great minds working on technologies that will touch upon all of our lives going forward.
Mark Holmes is the editorial director for Via Satellite and Avionics Magazine.