Telesat announced Tuesday it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with space and defence company Canadian Strategic Missions Corporation (CSMC) to collaborate on the deployment and operation of CSMC’s micro nuclear reactor technologies using Telesat’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network, Telesat Lightspeed.
Based in Toronto and Waterloo, Ont., CSMC is developing micro nuclear reactors designed to provide safe, reliable and scalable power for remote communities, critical infrastructure and strategic missions.
Under the MOU, Telesat and CSMC will work together to deploy highly secure satellite communications that can support the remote monitoring, operation and sustainment of CSMC’s reactors across both defence and civilian applications, Telesat said in a press release.
“Secure connectivity is a critical enabler of these systems, supporting operational oversight, data integrity, and resilience in extreme and high-latitude environments,” reads the press release. “Together, the companies aim to enable advanced, made-in-Canada energy solutions in the Arctic and other remote environments, where reliable power and connectivity are crucial.”
The MOU establishes a framework for technical discussions, potential pilot projects, and coordinated engagement with government and industry stakeholders, Telesat said, adding any future commercial or operational arrangements would be subject to definitive agreements.
“Telesat has a long history of delivering mission-critical communications for governments, enterprises, and communities, including in Canada’s North,” Dan Goldberg, Telesat’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “CSMC is advancing highly relevant energy capabilities, and we look forward to supporting their deployment and operations with secure, resilient connectivity in remote and Arctic environments.”
Telesat is still in the process of developing and building its 156-satellite Lightspeed constellation. It has previously said it expects to launch the first two Lightspeed LEO satellites in late 2026. In early May, when the company released its financial results for the first quarter of 2026, Goldberg was quoted in a press release as saying: “We continue to expect Telesat Lightspeed to commence global commercial service around the end of Q1 2028.”
