This paper, and the following seven papers, were presented at the Institute's NAV94 Conference held at Church House, London, in November 1994. The full proceedings may be obtained from the Director, RIN, price £25.00 (plus p & p).

I should start by explaining that the main purpose of my paper is to pass on the Inmarsat vision of satellite navigation in the future.

But first a little about mobile satcoms, our original reason for being. If you have followed us even at a distance you will be aware of:

• (i) how we started with satcoms for ships;

• (ii) how we contributed to a new maritime safety system;

• (iii) how we developed an aeronautical satcoms system in close cooperation with the civil aviation world;

• (iv) how land-mobile communications now account for one-third of our total traffic.