Cable / Telecom News

Two contenders vie to develop Telesat’s global LEO satellite system

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OTTAWA – The two teams contracted by Telesat last year to develop system designs for its global low earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation have successfully completed system requirements reviews, the global satellite operator said.

Airbus Defence and Space and a consortium of Thales Alenia Space and Maxar Technologies, the owner of SSL and MDA, may both continue with their detailed designs for the complete LEO system, both space and ground segments.

“Telesat has ambitious objectives for the performance of its LEO system and the innovative solutions both contractor teams recently presented give us high confidence that the cost and performance goals set for Telesat LEO can be achieved,” said Telesat LEO VP Erwin Hudson, in the news release. “Working with these two outstanding teams – Airbus and Thales Alenia Space-Maxar – not only reduces project risk but gives Telesat access to the latest space-based technologies from true industry leaders. Telesat continues to collaborate with both teams as they further the development of their designs and we look forward to selecting a prime contractor for the Telesat LEO program later this year.”

Telesat said that its global LEO constellation will transform global communications by offering an unsurpassed combination of capacity, speed, security, resiliency and low cost with latency that is as good or better than the most advanced terrestrial networks.  According to the company, Telesat LEO will accelerate 5G expansion, end the digital divide with fibre-like high-speed services into rural and remote communities, and set new levels of performance for commercial and government broadband on land, sea and in the air.  

www.telesat.com