The Alphabus platform is designed for communications satellites with payload power in the range 12-18 kW.

[2] In order to cover the mission range in an optimised way, the platform product line includes several options such as electric propulsion, and features scalable resources (solar array, radiators for thermal dissipation, etc.).

The satellite is named Alphasat (Inmarsat 4A F4), and will augment Inmarsat's Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) service supporting a new generation of mobile technologies and enable communications across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

[6] As well as its primary objective of providing in orbit validation of the Alphabus platform, Alphasat also carries four technology demonstration payloads (TDPs):[7] The first service module of the new Alphabus completed its first journey at the end of January 2010 – from Cannes to Toulouse, in France.

[8] Alphasat (Inmarsat 4A F4) was launched on 25 July 2013 from French Guiana[9] by early August it had reached a holding position in geostationary orbit and had successfully deployed its solar arrays and 11-metre L-band AstroMesh reflector.