Intelsat Completes Multi-Orbit Inflight Wi-Fi Tests
Intelsat, operator of one of the world’s largest integrated satellite and terrestrial networks and leading provider of inflight connectivity (IFC), today announced the successful completion of inflight testing of its new electronically steered array (ESA) antenna. This antenna enables global streaming-fast Wi-Fi service and is available to airlines around the world.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230228005552/en/
Intelsat’s ESA antenna, seen on top of the plane, offers a low profile and the lowest drag of any product Intelsat has ever offered, reducing CO2 emissions for airlines. (Photo: Business Wire)
Intelsat’s ESA is the only commercially available antenna in the aviation industry that can operate between low Earth orbit satellites and geostationary satellites. Announced in June 2022, the new antenna has been accumulating flight hours with Ball, Stellar Blu Solutions, Intelsat and OneWeb engineers validating antenna and network performance.
In early 2023, Intelsat successfully demonstrated the new system to global airlines on the company’s Bombardier CRJ-700 regional jet outfitted with the new antenna and inflight Wi-Fi system. With peak inflight download speeds exceeding 275Mbps, airline customers were able to participate in live virtual meetings, stream media and stay connected without interruptions.
By using the Intelsat and OneWeb satellite networks together, Intelsat can offer the benefits of LEO’s low latency along with the redundancy GEO provides to address network hotspots that LEO networks on their own cannot address. Whether aircraft are flying polar regions or over the most populated cities in the world, the ESA antenna will offer seamless coverage from takeoff to touchdown.
At just 90 pounds and with no moving parts, the new antenna stands just 3.5 inches tall on the top of the aircraft. The terminal’s low profile has the lowest drag of any product Intelsat has ever offered, reducing CO2 emissions for airlines.
“After installing the system in December, we’ve been hard at work perfecting this new technology and have taken some of the world’s leading airlines for test flights. An antenna without moving parts, that is much smaller than its predecessors, enables airlines to compete in the marketplace, delight their guests and have confidence that Intelsat’s multi-orbit antenna will provide the best performing inflight connectivity experience in the market,” said Jeff Sare, president of Intelsat Commercial Aviation.
Alaska Airlines recently announced plans to use Intelsat’s ESA terminal and IFC services aboard its fleet of Embraer regional jet fleet. Intelsat has supplemental-type certificate programs underway for a wide range of aircraft and expects to begin delivering and installing shipsets in early 2024.
Learn more by visiting Intelsat’s website.
About Intelsat
Intelsat’s global team of professionals is focused on providing seamless and secure, satellite-based communications to government, NGO and commercial customers through the company’s next-generation global network and managed services. Bridging the digital divide by operating one of the world’s largest and most advanced satellite fleet and connectivity infrastructures, Intelsat enables people and their tools to speak over oceans, see across continents and listen through the skies to communicate, cooperate and coexist. Since its founding six decades ago, the company has been synonymous with satellite-industry “firsts” in service to its customers and the planet. Leaning on a legacy of innovation and focusing on addressing a new generation of challenges Intelsat team members now have their sights on the “next firsts” in space as they disrupt the field and lead in the digital transformation of the industry.
Follow Us on Social Media:
Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
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/20230228005552/en/
Contact information
Melissa Longo - melissa.longo@intelsat.com; +1 240-308-1881
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
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
Libraesva and Cyber Guru Announce Strategic Combination to Create a Leading European Human-Centric Cybersecurity Provider27.1.2026 12:00:00 EET | Press release
Cyber Guru and Libraesva today announced a strategic combination that brings together two highly complementary Italian cybersecurity companies to form a new European leader in human-centric cyber protection. The combined group will offer organisations an integrated approach to defending against email-based threats, social engineering, and human-targeted attacks, integrating advanced technology with behavioural resilience. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260127531600/en/ Cyber threats are evolving rapidly, with attackers focusing less on infrastructure and more on the weak link in security – human behaviour. Phishing, business email compromise, smishing, QR-code attacks, social engineering and many other forms of attacks targeting humans continue to be primary breach vectors and are rapidly growing in sophistication with support of widely available AI tools. By integrating Libraesva’s advanced, privacy-first em
Europe’s First Meteorological Infrared Sounder Reveals the Atmosphere in 3D27.1.2026 11:30:00 EET | Press release
The first images from Europe’s pioneering meteorological infrared sounder were unveiled today at the EU Space Conference in Brussels, marking a major advance in the ability to monitor how the atmosphere evolves before and during severe weather. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260127490399/en/ Full Earth disc image from the MTG-S Infrared Sounder showing a surface-temperature-sensitive channel, captured between 12:45 and 15:30 UTC on 15 November 2025. The image distinguishes land and sea surface temperatures as well as cloud-top temperatures, highlighting cloud structures and weather systems. Hot desert regions appear in red, while cold cloud tops are shown in blue. © Image: Data acquired on 15 November 2025 and processed by industrial partners Thales and OHB under the supervision of EUMETSAT and ESA. Visual produced by EUMETSAT. The images were captured by the Infrared Sounder (IRS) flying aboard Meteosat Thir
Clearwater Analytics Embeds AI into Beacon Risk Platform to Accelerate Model Validation and Exposure Analysis27.1.2026 11:00:00 EET | Press release
Clearwater Analytics(NYSE: CWAN), the most comprehensive technology platform for investment management, today announced breakthrough embedded agentic AI capabilities within Beacon by CWAN, its enterprise risk and quantitative analytics platform, enabling risk teams to accelerate model validation, exposure analysis, and decision-making. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260126906084/en/ As regulatory scrutiny intensifies and portfolio complexity reaches unprecedented levels, traditional risk platforms are failing institutional investors when they need answers most. Built specifically for quantitative developers and risk professionals managing complex institutional portfolios, CWAN’s embedded AI operates within Beacon’s calculation engine itself, training the agents our clients deploy on data grounded in a firm’s actual positions, validated models, and real-time calculations. This breakthrough architecture process
Seasoned European Software Executive David Coste to Join Battery Ventures27.1.2026 10:00:00 EET | Press release
Battery Ventures, the global, technology-focused investment firm, announced it has hired former Forterro executive David Coste as an executive-in-residence based in its London office, effective next month. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260127122321/en/ David Coste, a former Forterro executive who begins a new executive-in-residence role with global investment firm Battery Ventures in London in February. At Battery, Coste will work closely with Battery Partner Zak Ewen and General Partner Morad Elhafed, among others, to help source and evaluate business-technology investments throughout Europe. Battery first opened its London office in 2016 and, since 2005, has completed more than 150 transactions across 13 countries including the U.K., Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway. “We’re thrilled to have David join our team in London after watching the significant impact he’s had
Castles Technology Partners With Loomis Pay to Power European Expansion With Next-Generation Android Devices27.1.2026 09:00:00 EET | Press release
Castles Technology, a global leader in Android payment acceptance devices, has been selected by Loomis Pay, the POS and digital payment division of Loomis, to support its European expansion. Through this collaboration, Loomis Pay will strengthen its capacity to deliver flexible and secure POS and payment solutions tailored to merchant preferences. As well as empowering merchants and their customers to transact the way they prefer, cash, card and digital. Following an extensive market review, Loomis Pay chose Castles Technology for its leadership in Android-based payment solutions, recognized for versatility, reliability, and innovation across its latest Android devices. Loomis Pay will deploy their POS and payment services on the portable S1F4 Pro, the PINPAD S1P2 and the unattended S1U2M4, as well its CasHUB TMS and Marketplace. Castles Technology and Loomis Pay have been working hand-in-hand with Seitatech, a specialized Finnish payment expert company, to develop the complete softwar
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