SWISSTO12
19.5.2023 14:01:34 CEST | Business Wire | Press release
Inmarsat, a world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, has announced that SWISSto12, one of Europe’s fastest growing aerospace providers, will develop its new eighth-generation of spacecraft. The three I-8 satellites will provide additional network resilience, securing the future of Inmarsat’s global L-band safety services.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230519005018/en/
An illustration of SWISSto12's HummingSat in geostationary orbit. Image credit: SWISSto12
SWISSto12, headquartered in Switzerland, will use its HummingSat satellite platform - in conjunction with unique 3D-printing technologies and specialised Radio-Frequency (RF) and payload products - to develop and manufacture the geostationary satellites, which will launch by 2026.
Just 1.5 cubic metres in volume, the I-8’s will use SWISSto12’s innovative new class of spacecraft which has a form factor up to five times smaller than conventional geostationary satellites yet can still deliver critical safety services with certainty.
The three l-8 satellites will continue to provide the extra layer of resilience to complement the existing constellation and Inmarsat’s two I-6 generation satellites, which were launched in December 2021 and February 2023. In March 2023, Inmarsat announced the first, I-6 F1, had successfully completed testing with ground stations in Western Australia and has now started to provide Ka-band services for the fast-growing Asia Pacific region. The company will begin introducing its L-band capacity and transitioning services to the new satellite throughout 2023.
The second, I-6 F2, which launched in February 2023, is expected to enter operational service over Europe, Africa, and much of the Americas in early 2024.
Each I-8 will also extend Inmarsat’s history of launching and operating radionavigation transponders for Governments and international space agencies. These transponders can enable Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) services around the world, for example for air traffic controllers or coastguards. SBAS systems uses satellite connectivity, land-based infrastructure, and software to enhance standard GPS/Galileo accuracy of 5 to 10 metres to as little as just 10cm.
Such precise tracking could enable pinpoint safety navigation on aircraft, help emergency services reach vessels in distress more quickly, or allow a raft of industrial innovations, like device tracking in agriculture or advanced, automated transport management systems.
The I-8 satellites will continue to secure Inmarsat’s global safety services into the 2040’s. The company was founded in 1979 under the auspices of the United Nations specifically to provide highly reliable safety communications. Today some 1.6 million seafarers and over 200 airlines rely on Inmarsat’s global L-band network to deliver 99.9% availability every day.
The Inmarsat-8 programme forms part of Inmarsat’s fully-funded technology roadmap, which will include five new satellite payloads added by 2025 to further Inmarsat’s high-speed broadband Global Xpress (GX) network with the launch of the software defined satellites GX 7,8, and 9, aimed for 2025, and the polar coverage satellites GX10a and b, which are aimed for the first half of 2024.
Peter Hadinger, Chief Technology Officer, Inmarsat, said “Every single day people around the world depend on Inmarsat services. Our customers have demanding, and often safety critical, missions that rely on our satellite technology for links that can make the difference. The I-8’s will not only underpin our existing capabilities for the future; but enable ever more advanced safety innovations like SBAS that can ultimately help save more lives. We have chosen SWISSto12 because they have the ground-breaking technology that can make it a reality.”
Emile de Rijk, CEO, SWISSto12, said “We are delighted that Inmarsat has selected SWISSto12 as its partner for its landmark l-8 program. It demonstrates that, with HummingSat, we have created a highly-advanced new class of small geostationary spacecraft that delivers world-leading connectivity capabilities at a fraction of the cost. Our proprietary 3D-printing of Radio Frequency payload technology allows us to push the limits of existing capability and service new and existing business cases for geostationary satellite communications. This is an important step in our journey to better connect and protect every corner of the world.”
ENDS
ABOUT INMARSAT
Inmarsat delivers world leading, innovative, advanced and exceptionally reliable global, mobile communications across the world – in the air, at sea and on land - that are enabling a new generation of commercial, government and mission-critical services. Inmarsat is powering the digitalisation of the maritime industry, making operations more efficient and safer than ever before. It is driving a new era of inflight passenger services for aviation, while ensuring that aircraft can fly with maximum efficiency and safety. Furthermore, Inmarsat is enabling the rapid expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT) and enabling the next wave of world-changing technologies that will underpin the connected society and help build a sustainable future. And now Inmarsat is developing the first-of-its-kind, multi-dimensional communications network of the future, ORCHESTRA.
In November 2021, Inmarsat and Viasat announced the planned combination of the two companies, to create a new leader in global communications.
For further information, follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram.
ABOUT SWISSto12
SWISSto12 is a leading manufacturer of advanced satellite payloads and systems, including the HummingSat: a small yet powerful geostationary telecommunications satellite developed in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) through its public-private-partnership program. The first commercial customer of HummingSat was announced in November 2022. The company’s satellites and payloads benefit from unique and patented 3D-printing technologies and associated Radio Frequency (RF) product designs that deliver lightweight, compact, highly performing, and competitive RF functionality. Besides its space portfolio, the company is also active in telecommunications, surveillance and radar applications for the aeronautic industry. SWISSto12 has developed commercially with success in Europe, the USA and Israel and is amongst the fastest growing aerospace companies in Europe. SWISSto12 spun off in 2011 from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), is privately owned and backed by prominent Swiss and European Investors.
For further information, visit https://swissto12.com
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230519005018/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
OpenAI and Yubico Partner to Bring Custom Phishing-Resistant YubiKeys to OpenAI Users30.4.2026 19:13:00 CEST | Press release
New strategic, long-term partnership with OpenAI delivers the gold standard of hardware-backed passkeys to the AI ecosystem Yubico (NASDAQ STOCKHOLM: YUBICO), the pioneer of phishing-resistant authentication and creator of the YubiKey, the gold standard of security keys, today announced an industry-first collaboration with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. Beginning today, people can purchase a new 2-pack set of custom YubiKeys as part of OpenAI’s Advanced Account Security program – enabling them to secure their ChatGPT accounts with security keys, containing the strongest hardware-backed passkeys. Specifically designed for security-conscious users who are at increased risk of targeted digital attacks, the set includes a YubiKey C NFC for tap-to-authenticate on mobile, and a low profile YubiKey C Nano that stays in a port for everyday laptop use – both packed with modern authentication features for the highest level of protection. With OpenAI already using YubiKeys internally to protect
rhode Continues Its Global Retail Expansion Into Sephora Europe30.4.2026 18:00:00 CEST | Press release
This expansion into Sephora Europe increases global access to rhode through physical retail, marking a pivotal next stage for the brand rhode, the beauty brand founded by Hailey Rhode Bieber, will be available at Sephora online and in most stores across Europe beginning this September, following its 2025 rollout with Sephora in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. This expansion into Sephora Europe increases global access to rhode through physical retail, marking a pivotal next stage for the brand. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260430569580/en/ rhode continues its global retail expansion into Sephora Europe. rhode’s collection of high-performance, skin-focused products saw strong performance in Sephora U.S. and Canada as the biggest brand launch in the retailer’s history in North America. When launched in November 2025 in the U.K., rhode was also the largest brand launch in Sephora U.K.’s history. “I’m so excited
ABS Acquires RMC Global to Strengthen Cyber, Risk and Resilience Capabilities30.4.2026 17:46:00 CEST | Press release
Acquisition to Deliver Stronger, More Integrated Solutions for Clients ABS, through its affiliate ABSG Consulting Inc. (ABS Consulting), has today announced the acquisition of RMC Global (RMC), a leading provider of industrial cybersecurity, risk management and resiliency solutions. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260430164690/en/ (L to R): Vince Kuchar, President, RMC Global, and David Wechsler, President and CEO, ABS Group The acquisition strengthens ABS Consulting’s capabilities and market position, bringing together two organizations with complementary expertise, shared values and a common mission. Combining RMC’s capabilities with ABS Consulting’s scale, technical depth and global resources, unlocks more integrated solutions for clients operating in increasingly complex risk environments. ABS Chairman and CEO John McDonald said: “Clients are facing increasing operational risk, cyber threats, and regulator
Brightfin Unveils AI-Native Platform for IT Financial Management30.4.2026 17:00:00 CEST | Press release
Brightfin clients drive their businesses forward with the first AI Native Cost Optimization Platform Brightfin, the only ITFM and Technology Expense Management solution built natively on ServiceNow, today announced an AI-Native architecture that fundamentally improves how organizations manage IT spend. Rather than bolting AI onto legacy systems, Brightfin has engineered intelligence from the ground up - starting with the data, building contextual awareness on top of it, and delivering AI agents that speak the language of IT finance. Brightfin’s unified budget-to-billing data model creates a stable, governed foundation that connects contracts, invoices, inventory, and budgets into a single source of truth - something no external ITFM tool or native platform module can replicate. This is a structured financial backbone purpose-built for enterprise IT spend, and it’s what makes everything above it possible. A context-aware, AI-Native, intelligence layer understands relationships across th
SINOVAC Files Annual Report on Form 20-F for the Fiscal Year 202430.4.2026 15:22:00 CEST | Press release
Sinovac Biotech Ltd. (Nasdaq: SVA) (“SINOVAC” or the “Company”), a leading provider of biopharmaceutical products in China, today announced that it filed its annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 (the “Annual Report”) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). An electronic copy of the Annual Report can be accessed on SINOVAC’s investor relations website at https://www.sinovac.com/en-us/Investors and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. About SINOVAC Sinovac Biotech Ltd. (SINOVAC) is a China-based global biopharmaceutical company, with a mission of “supply vaccines to eliminate human diseases”, the company specializes in the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of vaccines and related biological products that protect against human infectious diseases. The company’s diversified portfolio includes vaccines for influenza, viral hepatitis, varicella, Hand-Foot-Mouth disease (HFMD), poliomyelitis, pneumococcal disease, et
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom