ThinKom Solutions is assessing whether its Ka-band ThinAir Nexus antenna can fit Airbus’s planned HBCplus modular connectivity architecture, which is slated to enter service in 2028. The company says the antenna is compact enough to leave room for a separate electronically steered antenna, potentially enabling a multi-orbit installation. Airbus and HBCplus service provider SES have yet to provide feedback on the required dimensions, and Nexus is not a confirmed HBCplus option.
ThinKom chairman and chief technology officer Bill Milroy described the possible fit in an interview with Runway Girl Network. The configuration would depend on Airbus requirements and decisions by service providers; approval and specific network pairings remain outstanding.
Nexus supports SES’s existing Ka-band Open Orbits network, which uses medium- and geostationary-orbit satellites, and is expected to support the company’s future meoSphere MEO network. ThinKom also envisages compatibility with Hughes GEO services and Telesat Lightspeed, but neither is a confirmed HBCplus configuration. A separate LEO-only ESA could potentially broaden the available network combinations.
ThinKom designed Nexus for Boeing aircraft as well as aftermarket installations. The antenna is compatible with Boeing’s Aerodynamic Shroud and can use an ARINC 792 adapter plate, according to the company. ThinKom is concentrating on Ka-band, with Ku-band development dependent on demand. Its Ka2517 antenna is already offered through Airbus HBCplus flex, a separate programme option.