ICO Global Communications

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ICO Global Communications (Holdings) Limited is a mobile satellite services company based in Reston, Virginia. The company has recently launched a geosynchronous satellite, ICO G1, the largest commercial satellite ever launched^[1].

1 Corporate history
2 Early satellites
3 G1 satellite
- 3.1 ICO mim
4 References
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Corporate history

Founded in January 1995, ICO Global Communications, planned to build an MSS constellation in medium earth orbit (in two 45°-inclined orthogonal planes), and had contracted Boeing Satellite Systems (then Hughes) for 12 spacecraft in July of that year — ten operational spacecraft and two in-orbit spares. ICO filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in August 1999, but emerged (as New ICO) in May 2000 following investments by Craig McCaw and others. ICO has pursued plans to build and launch a geosyncrhonous satellite to cover North America, supplemented by an ancillary terrestrial component. ICO G1 launched on April 14, 2008, and ICO's application for an ancillary terrestrial component is currently under review at the Federal Communications Commission.

[edit] Early satellites

The first spacecraft, a Hughes HS 601 designated ICO F-1, was lost due to a Sea Launch anomaly on March 12, 2000.^[2] In September 2000, ICO contracted Hughes for three additional spacecraft, and Hughes agreed to modify the 11 remaining spacecraft from the original contract to support an ICO re-design of the system. Hughes Space Systems subsequently became a subsidiary of the Boeing Corporation. On June 19, 2001, the second spacecraft was successfully launched by an Atlas II AS from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The remaining spacecraft are in storage in various stages of near completion, and litigation between ICO and Boeing involving the ICO MEO satellites is scheduled to go to trial in May, 2008.

[edit] G1 satellite

Wikinews has related news:

Atlas rocket launches ICO G1 satellite

The ICO G1 satellite was built by Space Systems/Loral, based on the Loral 1300 platform.^[3] A contract to launch the satellite was signed with Lockheed Martin, who announced plans to launch the satellite on an Atlas V launch vehicle, flying in the 421 configuration.^[4] Launch, from Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station occurred at 20:12:00 GMT on 2008-04-14. The satellite separated from the carrier rocket 30 minutes and 49 seconds later, completing a successful launch. It is currently in a geosynchronous transfer orbit, awaiting final injection into geosynchronous orbit. As of the launch date, ICO G1 was the largest commercial satellite ever launched.

[edit] ICO mim

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The G1 satellite is intended to serve as the platform for the "ICO mim" (mobile interactive media) service. This service is planned to include live mobile television, interactive navigation and emergency communications capabilities, and will serve the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Alpha trials of this service will begin in 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. The company is working with Alcatel-Lucent and Hughes Communications on its alpha trials, and has an agreement with Delphi Corporation to develop its mobile video service for the North American automotive market. NBC Universal and Discovery Networks are providing live mobile video content for the trials.