After six weeks in Texas the Intelsat CR7 flying test bed is back home, suggesting the certification work for its new LEO/GEO hybrid solution is ready for prime time.
Stellar Blu
Back in the air: Intelsat’s CR7 test plane flying with production ESA on board
Intelsat’s CRJ 700 returned to the skies on Sunday with the production ready-version of the Stellar Blu Sidewinder terminal installed, enabling certification of the kit for access to both GEO and LEO satellite networks.
ALOFT confirm first OneWeb BBJ installation
ALOFT AeroArchitects will activate OneWeb’s LEO satellite inflight internet service on a 737 BBJ via a services contract with Satcom Direct and an antenna provided by Stellar Blu.
Stellar Blu Sidewinder terminal certification slips, production ramps up
Certification timing slipped a bit for the Stellar Blu terminal, leaving Intelsat waiting for installation on its test aircraft. But no one seems to be worried yet.
Rumor has it…
With a major IFC contract ready to be awarded, could a dark horse score an unexpected win?
Gogo, Satcom Direct push forward with LEO ESAs
Electronically steered antennas will be a major part of the next generation of connectivity for the business aviation world. Both Satcom Direct and Gogo made progress on that front this week, offering updates to their terminal development and testing.
Intelsat celebrates arctic LEO/GEO testing with Utqiagvik visit
A visit to Alaska’s North Slope in mid-December gave Intelsat the opportunity to demonstrate the multi-orbit functionality of its new electronically steered antenna (ESA) terminal and multi-orbit connectivity strategy.
Starlink flying on SpaceX’s new 737-800
SpaceX has a new private jet, and it appears to be flying with the Starlink inflight internet services on board.
Dragging the competition
Bolting a radome atop an aircraft means more weight, more drag, more fuel burn, and higher emissions. Those are all things airlines typically try to minimize. Which makes some recent conversations about drag differences all the more interesting.
American taps Intelsat for high speed Wi-Fi on regional fleet
American Airlines will upgrade the inflight internet on its regional jet fleet over the next two years. The carrier selected Intelsat to provide high-speed satellite-based service to just under 500 of the smaller jets.