[SatNews] This important milestone is a crucial element of the Company's communications plans delivery...

Inmarsat plc (LSE:ISAT.L) has announced that Inmarsat SA, one of its subsidiary companies, has successfully completed Critical Design Review for the Inmarsat-5 satellites, under contract with Boeing. The Inmarsat-5 satellites are a key element of the new Global Xpress™ Ka-band network.

"This is a fundamental milestone and marks the transition of the project from a design and engineering phase to a manufacturing, integration and test phase," said Franco Carnevale, Inmarsat vice-president, Space Segment. During the review all aspects of the spacecraft design and operation were thoroughly reviewed by Inmarsat’s engineering and operation teams and by a Boeing independent review team. "The review was completed earlier than scheduled, and the conclusion of the CDR board was that the design is mature and there are comfortable margins with all key performance parameters" said Carnevale.

Much progress has been made with the manufacturing of key elements of the first spacecraft including structure, propulsion systems and flight hardware such as TWTA. This means the Inmarsat-5 F1 is on schedule for completion and launch in 2013. In parallel, plans for construction of the Proton launch vehicle which will lift Inmarsat-5 into orbit will be discussed at a programmatic kick off meeting with ILS and the vehicle manufacturers Khrunichev in early December.