The world's largest communications satellite launched

On Wednesday, the Ariane 5 rocket was successfully launched from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana with the world's largest commercial communications satellite TerreStar-1, commissioned by TerreStar Networks .

Prior to the launch of this seven-ton giant, previous communications satellites had a weight of not more than 6.5 tons. This is the largest such device. The diameter of its antenna, which is deployed in orbit, is 18 m.

TerreStar-1 is designed to provide communication with smartphones of a new type that support both GSM and satellite communications (voice and data transmission). If the GSM network is not available, then this phone will make a call via satellite.

Such devices have not even appeared on the market yet, but the idea is quite interesting, because you can talk with this device from an airplane, from a yacht on the high seas, and from any wilderness within the North American continent (it is TerreStar-1 that covers its territory). It can be assumed that various special services, government services, rescuers, tourists and residents of remote areas (Indians on reservations, for example, or Chukchi, if Chukotka falls into the coverage area, will immediately transfer to new devices).

via bbc