Inmarsat, the International Maritime Satellite Organisation, has signed six contracts with aerospace companies and consortia to choose a satellite system for its proposed worldwide personal satellite telephone service. The three satellite constellations under consideration are geostationary, involving a few, large, satellites; immediate circular orbit, using 12 to 15 satellites; and low earth orbit, which would require a larger number of smaller birds. For Geostationary, it has contracted General Electric Co Inc’s GE Astro unit with Matra-Marconi Espace SA; Hughes Space & Communications Inc with British Aerospace Plc and NEC Corp; for intermediate circular, the contracts go to Matra-Marconi and GE Astro again, this time with TRW Corp. And for low earth orbit, the contracts go to Consortium of Aerospatiale Alcatel NV and Alenia SpA with Deutsche Aerospace GmbH; and Anstix Pte Ltd with the state-owned Indian Space Research Organisation.
