Abstract :
The Horizons programme is Inmarsat´s fourth generation system, designed to provide multimedia services to mobile users, worldwide. Horizons will develop a new generation of user terminals which will interface to standard portable computer (PC) devices, including laptop and palmtops to provide users with the capability to access the full range of multimedia services in remote areas where a terrestrial infrastructure is not available. Inmarsat plans to implement a new constellation of satellites and an optimised ground segment architecture to enable the Horizons system to provide these services, worldwide. This paper describes the key aspects of the Horizons programme, including the space segment, the ground segment, and also the user terminals
Keywords :
mobile satellite communication; Horizons program; Inmarsat; fourth generation system; laptop; mobile satellite communications; mobile users; multimedia services; optimised ground segment architecture; palmtops; portable computer devices; satellite constellation; satellite modems; space segment; user terminals;
