Telesat changes prime contractor for Lightspeed LEO satellites to MDA

OTTAWA – Telesat announced last week it has contracted Brampton, Ont.-headquartered MDA as the prime satellite manufacturer for Telesat’s Lightspeed low earth orbit (LEO) constellation, and in doing so expects to save approximately US$2 billion in capital costs compared to its prior capital estimate, according to a press release. Telesat’s original plan for Lightspeed was a network of 298 LEO satellites, with France-based Thales Alenia Space previously chosen as the prime manufacturer for the satellite constellation in February 2021. In May 2022, Telesat said it was reducing the number of satellites planned for the Lightspeed LEO network to 198 satellites — a decision that was...