Alphasat I-XL carries a new generation of advanced geomobile communications payload in L-band that will augment Inmarsat’s Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) service, enabling communications across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East with increased capacity. Alphasat I-XL features a new-generation digital signal processor for the payload, and a 12-metre aperture antenna reflector. Alphasat I-XL also carries technology demonstration payloads for the European Space Agency.

Weighing more than 6,000kg, Alphasat I-XL is planned for delivery at the end of 2012 for launch by Ariane 5.

Alphasat I-XL uses the protoflight model of new European Alphabus, which has been jointly developed by Astrium and Thales Alenia Space with ESA and CNES support to address the upper range of the communications satellite market. The Alphabus platform is qualified and now available on the commercial market to accommodate missions up to 18kW of payload power, with ongoing developments to extend the range up to 22kW.