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By Daniel Baxter |
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November 16, 2010 - Boeing has received the first
on-orbit signals from LightSquared's SkyTerra 1
following the satellite's launch at 12:29 p.m. Eastern
time on Sunday on an International Launch Services
Proton vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in
Signal acquisition indicates that the satellite is
healthy and ready to begin operational testing and
on-orbit maneuvers. SkyTerra 1 is a Boeing 702HP
satellite designed for geomobile services that will
provide satellite coverage as part of LightSquared's new
broadband mobile wireless network in the "There is a large and rapidly growing demand for data services to U.S. businesses, individuals and other end users, and Boeing has accomplished the first step in delivering this capability to LightSquared with the successful launch of SkyTerra 1," said Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager, Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems. "Boeing has been designing advanced geomobile satellite systems for the past 13 years, and our experience enables us to provide LightSquared with a high-value solution." |
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When
operational, SkyTerra 1 will combine with ground-based
beam-forming (GBBF) equipment and ground stations to form
LightSquared?s first Space-Based Network (SBN), which will
enable faster service and broader access to smaller mobile
devices for millions of users in the LightSquared's SBN will combine with a ground network of more than 40,000 base stations built to offer ground coverage, satellite coverage or a combination of the two. LightSquared plans to begin rolling out its nationwide wholesale 4G LTE wireless network in the first four markets in the second half of 2011. Boeing and LightSquared will soon begin on-orbit maneuvers to move SkyTerra 1 into its test orbit location, where the spacecraft will begin deployments and signal testing. After validating the satellite?s subsystems and the SBN with ground stations, LightSquared will accept the SBN from Boeing in early 2011. |
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