TerreStar Announces Successful Completion of Satellite In-Orbit Testing
Mobile communications provider TerreStar Networks Inc.,
a majority-owned subsidiary of TerreStar Corp.,
announced today the successful completion of in-orbit testing for
TerreStar-1, the world's largest, most advanced commercial
communications satellite.
"TerreStar-1 has met or exceeded all of its performance
metrics," said Dennis Matheson, chief technology officer for TerreStar.
"Our partner, Space Systems/Loral has delivered a highly reliable
spacecraft and we feel confident that we are on track to deliver
resilient satellite - terrestrial mobile communications service to
customers that need anytime, anywhere coverage."
A significant factor in TerreStar's IOT success was
validating that TerreStar-1's 18 meter 2GHz S Band reflector was
performing as designed. It is this very large reflector that enables
voice, data and video communications to be transmitted to mobile
devices the size of a typical smartphone.
"The completion of in-orbit testing has verified several
new technologies developed by Space Systems/Loral and our key
suppliers," said John Celli, president and chief operating officer,
Space Systems/Loral (SS/L). "We are pleased to report that all of the
new developments meet or exceed performance expectations. In
particular, the S-band antenna, which includes an 18-meter reflector
developed by Harris Corporation and a complex feed array developed by
SS/L, has been verified by measurements of the antenna patterns on the
ground. The reflector mesh is correctly aligned to the feed and the
surface shape is accurate."
TerreStar is now entering the Ground Based Beam Forming
(GBBF) testing phase. With GBBF, TerreStar-1 is capable of generating
more than 500 simultaneous spot beams, enabling the satellite's power
to be directed where it is needed the most at any point in time.
"We are pleased to report the space segment of the
TerreStar network is now complete," noted Jeffrey Epstein, president of
TerreStar. "Once we have finished integration with our advanced GBBF
system and our all-IP core network, TerreStar, with our wholesale
partners, will revolutionize the North American mobile communications
market."
TerreStar continues on its path to launch satellite
enabled mobile communications service based on its groundbreaking
integrated satellite - terrestrial smartphone. TerreStar, and its
partner, TerreStar Networks (Canada) Inc., are poised to provide
service to help solve the critical communications and business
continuity challenges faced by government, emergency responders,
enterprises and rural communities anywhere in the United States and
Canada.