SatNews

Skynet Soars + Scores, Superseding Schedule

  • The first operational traffic was carried successfully on Skynet 5B at 05:00 on January 28th, 2008, one month earlier than originally planned. Skynet 5B was launched on an Ariane 5 launcher on November 9th, 2007, from Kourou, French Guiana. Skynet 5B delivers an increased capability for secure voice and data traffic and is already being used by HMS Illustrious. This is the second of three satellites that will form a new constellation under a PFI deal with the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) that will run until 2020. Skynet 5B was moved into its prime orbital location at 53° E to provide satellite communications support for the UK MoD’s current deployments. The third satellite Skynet 5C will act as an in-orbit spare. Skynet 5 is the groundbreaking nexgen military satellite communications program to provide end-to-end, resilient, secure Beyond Line of Site communications services, including welfare, to the UK MoD and other non-UK MoD and multinational customers until 2020. The program provides delivery of information services between the UK’s Defence Fixed Network and in theatre networks and users. Secure communications services will be delivered by the owner and operator, Paradigm, who are part of Telecom Services, a business division of Astrium Services. The system, including the satellites, was designed and built by Astrium Satellites—Stevenage, United Kingdom