Press release

Inmarsat Government Delivers Highly Reliable Communications Support for Successful Expedition to Antarctica

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Inmarsat Government, a leading provider of secure, global, mission-critical telecommunications to the U.S. Government, today announced that it has successfully provided mobile communications support to the South Orkney Expedition. This multidisciplinary expedition, supported by the research vessel RV Braveheart, took place on Signy Island from February 21 to March 6, 2020. The South Orkney Islands are located in the Southern Ocean, about 375 miles north-east of the Antarctic Peninsula.

This expedition was undertaken by the Perseverance DX Group, a nonprofit expedition organization that conducted record-setting, multi-mode high frequency (HF) communications using amateur radio frequencies, ranging from just above the Amplitude Modulated (AM) broadcast band to the edge of the very high frequency (VHF) band, under widely varying space weather (ionospheric and solar flux) conditions. The team also collected marine sediment samples for scientific research.

Additionally, middle and high school science teachers were provided information for use in their classrooms on a number of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) topics. The expedition team also tested satellite communications and new amateur radio technologies in this remote region of the world.

During the expedition, Inmarsat Government provided its award-winning, Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) satellite communication services that enabled expedition members to partner with schools to supplement STEM classroom education of the Antarctic. Furthermore, the expedition relied on Inmarsat’s highly dependable Global Satellite Phone Service (GSPS) via the Inmarsat-4 constellation to stay connected in this remote region.

“These internet activities would not have been possible without Inmarsat’s services. We appreciate Inmarsat Government’s cooperation, technical assistance and the equipment that included BGAN and satellite phone services,” said Dr. David Lloyd, South Orkney Expedition leader. “Conducting expeditions to remote parts of the world to do research and support student STEM education requires having communications equipment that can reliably provide voice and broadband data communications under extreme conditions.”

“Inmarsat Government is proud to be the communications partner for the Perseverance DX Group in their quest to travel to remote places around the globe such as South Orkney Islands,” said Tom Costello, Chief Commercial Officer, Inmarsat Government. “It has been a privilege to support this expedition through our dependable ‘on-the-move’ communications and do our part in further enhancing scientific exploration and education.”

About Inmarsat Government

The U.S. government has relied on and trusted Inmarsat satellite services since 1979. Inmarsat Government continues to deliver the world’s most advanced global, mobile satellite communication services to U.S. defense, intelligence, homeland security, public safety and civilian agencies, with highly reliable, secure and affordable connectivity. Built with government users in mind, Inmarsat Government provides resilient, flexible capabilities to complement government satellite resources, anytime, anywhere. Leveraging an industry-leading scalable multiband network infrastructure, Inmarsat Government offers a suite of managed network services and end-to-end communication solutions to support users on land, at sea and in the air, even in the world’s most remote regions. Headquartered in Reston, VA, Inmarsat Government is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Inmarsat Group Holdings Limited. For more information, please visit www.inmarsatgov.com.

About Inmarsat

Inmarsat is a pioneering technology company and the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications. It owns and operates the world’s most diverse global portfolio of mobile telecommunications satellite networks, and holds a multi-layered, global spectrum portfolio, covering L-band, Ka-band and S-band, enabling unparalleled breadth and diversity in the solutions it provides. Inmarsat’s long-established global distribution network includes not only the world’s leading channel partners but also its own strong direct retail capabilities, enabling end to end customer service assurance.

The company has an unrivalled track record of operating the world’s most reliable global mobile satellite telecommunications networks, sustaining business and mission critical safety and operational applications for more than 40 years. It is also a major driving force behind technological innovation in mobile satellite communications, sustaining its leadership through a substantial investment and a powerful network of technology and manufacturing partners.

Inmarsat operates across a diversified portfolio of sectors with the financial resources to fund its business strategy and holds leading positions in the Maritime, Government, Aviation and Enterprise SATCOM markets, operating consistently as a trusted, responsive and high-quality partner to its customers across the globe.

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