(Click here for a larger view of TerreStar's Windows Mobile-based handset)

TerreStar's TS-1 aboard the Ariane 5 (Click image to enlarge)

Launched today as a solo payload (right) on the Ariane 5 rocket, the TS-1 satellite was deployed into its geostationary orbit 29 minutes later, according to Arianespace. The TS-1 satellite, which is about the size of a minivan but weighs 15,000 pounds, according to eWEEK writer Roy Mark, includes a 500-beam antenna array, capable of covering all of the U.S. and Canada. Said to be one of the largest and most powerful commercial satellites in existence, the device was originally planned for launch during the fourth quarter of last year, but its 59-foot reflector sustained damage during manufacturing, hence the delay.

TerreStar now says its satellite phone service, which will rely on both the TS-1 and AT&T's cellular network, will be available to North American customers by the end of this year, according to the company. Touted as "North America's first next-generation integrated mobile satellite and terrestrial network," the service will extend service into rural and remote areas, and offer redundancy and enhanced capacity during a crisis, the company claims.

A slimmed-down handset

Thuraya SG-2520 (Click image for further information)

Previous satellite phones have tended to be brick-like devices reminiscent of the very first mobiles, though the Thuraya SG-2520 (right) announced in 2007 measured 5.5 x 2.08 x .74 inches. The TerreStar service will feature a relatively svelte 4.7 x 2.5 x 0.8 inch phone designed for the company by Finnish company Elektrobit corporation.

The handset (pictured at left), so far stuck with the lengthy moniker "TerreStar Satellite/Terrestrial PDA Phone," will connect to the satellite and AT&T terrestrial networks, offering voice calls, "4G" HSPA (high speed packet access) networking data mode, push e-mail, and other typical Windows Mobile features. The Windows Mobile 6.0 device includes a 2.6-inch touchscreen display, three megapixel camera, 802.11b/g wireless networking, Bluetooth, and GPS, according to the company.

Features and specifications listed by TerreStar for its Satellite/Terrestrial PDA Phone include the following:

• Processor -- n/s
  
• Memory -- 100MB available user memory
  
• Display -- 2.6-inch touchscreen with 320 x 240 resolution
  
• Camera -- Three megapixel with autofocus and flash
  
• Wireless:
  • WAN:
    • TerreStar WCDMA HSDPA 2.2GHz with GMR-3G technology
      
    • Dual-band WCDMA (850 and 1900MHz)
      
    • Quad-band GSM/EGPRS (850, 900, 1800 and 1900MHz)
  • LAN -- 802.11b/g
    
  • PAN -- Bluetooth 2.0
    
  • GPS
• Other I/O:
  • USB client
    
  • 2.5mm headset jack
    
  • Connector for external satellite antenna
    
  • SIM slot
• Expansion -- MicroSD slot accepts up to 2GB of storage
  
• Battery type/life:
  • 1400mAH
    
  • Talk time:
    • GSM, up to three hours
      
    • WCDMA, up to three hours
      
    • Satellite, up to 1.3 hours
  • Standby time:
    • GSM and WCDMA, up to 240 hours
      
    • Satellite, up to 55 hours
• Dimensions -- 4.7 x 2.5 x 0.8 inches
  
• Weight -- n/s

A video of today's launch of the TerreStar TS-1
Source: Spacevidcast
(click to play)
Further information

As noted, TerreStar says its satellite phone service should be available by the end of this year, but pricing has not been announced. More information on the TerreStar Satellite/Terrestrial PDA Phone may be found on the company's website, here.

For more information on today's launch of the TS-1, see the eWEEK story mentioned above, here, or the Arianespace website, here.

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