Artist’s rendering of Mexico’s Morelos 3 satellite. Photo: Boeing

[Via Satellite 08-26-2016] Mexico’s Ministry of Communications and Transportation has formally accepted the Mexsat satellite system from prime contractor Boeing following the completion of final field-testing, the company announced today. Mexsat provides 3G+ voice and data services to mobile terminals on land, air and sea for the enhancement of the country’s national security, civil and humanitarian programs. Telecomunicaciones de Mexico (Telecomm) operates the system on behalf of the government.

Boeing designed, integrated and delivered the system, which includes two satellites, two network and satellite control stations, associated network operations procedures, and prototype user terminals. The network was originally to consist of three satellites, however the second failed to reach orbit due to a Proton launch anomaly in May 2015.

Boeing and the Mexican government completed final field tests of Mexsat within 10 months following the launch of the last satellite, Morelos 3, in October 2015. The tests involved exercising the 3G+ services such as voice calls, push-to-talk, internet video sessions, asset tracking, voice mail and text messaging over secure links to prototype terminals on ships, planes, vehicles, handheld devices and fixed sites.