...satellite launched in 1990, on April 18th. The satellite is now part way through its de-orbit process, which will take approximately a week to complete. This satellite was the first of Inmarsat's second generation and is the company's longest serving spacecraft.

Launched in 1990, with a design life of 10 years, it provided a reliable service for more than 22 years, reflecting the engineering skills of the manufacturer EADS Astrium and Inmarsat.