California-based satellite operator Viasat wanted to extend a deadline to Ka-band frequencies it holds at 28 degrees West. The frequencies, held by Viasat, were obtained via the Norwegian regulator. However, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has declined Norway’s extension request submitted on behalf of Viasat.
The original plan was to place Viasat’s GX7 satellite into the 28 degrees slot. GX7 was ordered by Inmarsat, now owned by Viasat. The GX7 models are Inmarsat’s seventh-generation of satellites and three of them (GX7, 8, 9) are being built by Airbus and were ordered in May 2019.
The first of the trio (GX7) was initially due to launch from 2023 but is late. Reports suggest that the build is now some 3 years behind schedule.
The ITU’s Radio Regulations Board (ITU/RRB) says that it lacked confidence that the GX7satellite can be launched in time and to respect a mandated ITU deadline of December 17 2025.
Norway, and its then Inmarsat licensee, had planned to technically occupy the slot and thus cement it official rights to the slot with an earlier satellite (Inmarsat 6 F2). However, that craft failed after orbit and before it achieved the target orbit. The failure was later subject to a $350 million insurance claim filed by Viasat which by then owned Inmarsat.
The satellite had been hit by a micro-meteorite.
The Norwegian Communications Authority claimed to the ITU/RRB that the failure “clearly meets the four conditions for force majeure. The event was unforeseen as this type of event is extremely rare, if not unique.”
The ITU/RRB can recognise a force majeure claim, and could therefore have extended the Dec 17 2025 deadline and extend the date to a requested July 15th 2027. Sources say that the GX7 craft would be ready for launch in early 2027. Once launched the satellite would take about 130 days to reach its designated orbit.
The ITU/RRB met in July at their Geneva office, but said “the timeline for satellite delivery by the manufacturer remained vague and no launch window had been established, with no contract or supporting evidence from the launch service provider.”
The ITU/RRB has now requested Norway to “provide additional information in sufficient detail to describe the options considered as well as the efforts and measures taken to avoid missing the deadline.”
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