February 16, 202 – Inmarsat and Addvalue, a groundbreaking satellite solution provider and Inmarsat technology partner, are delighted to announce that real-time geospatial intelligence company BlackSky will include IDRS™ in its next-generation satellite design. 2022 saw significant global growth in Earth Observation (EO) activities, with many satellite operators growing their businesses’ role from data collection to actionable intelligence capable of delivering true competitive advantage. And it’s a trend projected to continue. To ensure autonomous on-board mission support, Addvalue has designed a new, high-performance LEO satellite antenna system that allows full IDRS™ communications coverage, with no interruption to the satellites’ ongoing EO operations. Accessing Inmarsat’s unequalled ELERA global communications network, Addvalue’s IDRS™ terminal is unique in enabling LEO satellites with always on, real-time, on-demand in-orbit communications for mission tasking and data monitoring. The terminal also supports telemetry and command communications, troubleshooting and restoring operations. Until the development of the Addvalue IDRS™ service, commercial EO satellite connectivity was limited to when the satellite was within line of sight of an earth station. This inconsistent contact resulted in delays in mission control, constellation-wide tasking, and orbit testing and fault-finding efforts.