Watch the Launch

Additional Media

Inmarsat-6 F1 launch

Tune in to watch the launch of I-6 F1 from the JAXA Tanegashima Space Centre in Japan with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

I-6 F1

Inmarsat owns and operates 14 satellites in geostationary orbit 35,786km (22,236 miles) above the Earth, delivering three market-leading networks.

Inmarsat-6 F1

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Geostationary Transfer Orbit
Mission: Communications

Geostationary Transfer Orbit Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-1 Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

Inmarsat-6 is the sixth generation of satellites for the London-based global mobile satellite communications operator Inmarsat. It consists of a dual mission to augment both L-band and Ka-band Global Xpress services. Airbus Defence and Space has been awarded a contract by Inmarsat to design and develop the first two Inmarsat-6 (I-6) mobile communications satellites, creating the most versatile mobile services satellites in its fleet. The two I-6 satellites are based on Airbus Defence and Space's Eurostar platform in its E3000e variant, which exclusively uses electric propulsion for orbit raising. The satellites take advantage of the reduction in mass that this electric propulsion technology enables for a dual payload mission, with an exceptionally large next generation digitally processed payload. I-6 F1 and F2 both carry a large 9 m aperture L-band antenna and nine multibeam Ka-band antennas, and feature a high level of flexibility and connectivity. A new generation modular digital processor provides full routing flexibility over up to 8000 channels and dynamic power allocation to over 200 spot beams in L-band. Ka-band spot beams are steerable over the full Earth disk, with flexible channel to beam allocation.

Updates

SwGustav • Dec. 22, 2021, 6:26 p.m.

Successful launch confirmed by Inmarsat


Cosmic_Penguin • Dec. 19, 2021, 6:43 a.m.

One day slip due to weather forecasts.


Nosu • Dec. 18, 2021, 10:41 p.m.

T-0 confirmed


Cosmic_Penguin • Nov. 4, 2021, 3:38 a.m.

Launch date and window announced.


H-IIA

Family:
Configuration: 204

H-IIA (H2A) was an expendable launch system operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The liquid-fueled H-IIA rockets have been used to launch satellites into geostationary orbit, to launch a lunar orbiting spacecraft, and to launch Akatsuki, which studied the planet Venus. Launches occur at the Tanegashima Space Center.

Specifications
  • Stages
    2
  • Length
    53.0 m
  • Diameter
    4.0 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    4.0 m
  • Launch Mass
    445.0 T
  • Thrust
    2260.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    H-IIA
  • Family
  • Variant
    204
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    H-IIA 204
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $90000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    6000.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

(MHI)

President: Seiji Izumisawa Founded: 1884 Successes: 53 Failures: 1 Pending: 13

Agency Type:

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. is a Japanese multinational engineering, electrical equipment and electronics company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. MHI is one of the core companies of the Mitsubishi Group. MHI's products include aerospace components, air conditioners, aircraft, automotive components, forklift trucks, hydraulic equipment, machine tools, missiles, power generation equipment, printing machines, ships and space launch vehicles. Through its defense-related activities, it is the world's 23rd-largest defense contractor measured by 2011 defense revenues and the largest based in Japan.

INFO WIKI

Related News

Spaceflight Now

H-2A rocket deploys powerful satellite for mobile telecom operator Inmarsat

The first in a new line of powerful dual-band satellites for Inmarsat’s communications network linking ships, airplanes, and other mobile customers successfully launched Wednesday aboard a Japanese H-2A rocket.

SpaceNews

MHI launches Inmarsat’s first dual-band satellite

Inmarsat’s first dual-band telecommunications satellite launched Dec. 22 aboard Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ H-2A rocket.

NASA Spaceflight

H-IIA launches next-generation Inmarsat-6 Flight 1 satellite

Japan is set to launch the Inmarsat-6 Flight 1 (I-6 F1) satellite Wednesday as a part of Inmarsat’s next-generation satellite broadband service. I-6 F1 will launch aboard an H-IIA 204 rocket during a two-hour launch window that opens at 11…

Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-1


Long March 5B/YZ-2
Success
7 hours, 39 minutes ago
SatNet LEO Group 08
101 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group. …


Vulcan VC4S
Success
13 hours, 26 minutes ago
USSF-106
Space Launch Complex 41 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

USSF-106 is a mission for the United States Space Force. The launch will deploy various payloads directly into geosynchronous orbit, including the NT…


Ariane 62
Success
13 hours, 45 minutes ago
Metop-SG A1
Ariane Launch Area 4 - Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

First of EUMETSAT's second generation of Metop weather satellites.


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 1 hour ago
Project Kuiper (KF-02)
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Second of a three launches contract for Amazon's Kuiper low Earth orbit satellite internet constellation. 24 satellites are on board.


Smart Dragon 3
Success
4 days, 21 hours ago
Geely Constellation Group 04
Oriental Spaceport mobile launch ship - Sea Launch

11 LEO communications satellites for Chinese car manufacturer Geely Automotive for testing autonomous driving/inter-vehicle communication services. T…


Electron
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
The Harvest Goddess Thrives (iQPS Launch 4)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS.


Long March 12
Success
1 week, 2 days ago
SatNet LEO Group 07
Commercial LC-2 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of 9 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group.…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 2 days ago
Starlink Group 10-30
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


New Shepard
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
NS-34
West Texas Suborbital Launch Site/ Corn Ranch - Corn Ranch, Van Horn, TX, USA

NS-34 is the 14th crewed flight for the New Shepard program and the 34th in its history.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 4 days ago
Crew-11
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

SpaceX Crew-11 is the eleventh crewed operational flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial …