OTTAWA – Telesat’s low earth orbit satellite constellations may soon be used in future space-based communications by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
The Canadian satellite operator said that it has been awarded a contract by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) under its Blackjack program, an architecture demonstration of a proliferated small satellite constellation in LEO to provide global persistence, low latency communications, and rapid technology refresh.
The investigations will include evaluating the advantages of DoD using the same spacecraft buses as those Telesat will use in its LEO constellation and having these future DoD spacecraft link to Telesat’s LEO constellation via laser-based communications. The result of these investigations could lead to DoD using Telesat’s LEO system for its global broadband connectivity needs.
“Telesat is developing its LEO constellation to make revolutionary advances in broadband performance from space,” said Telesat’s government services GM Don Brown, in the news release. “DARPA is exploring a ‘pivot to LEO’ for future DoD space missions and we expect that Blackjack will confirm the economy, resiliency and power of these new space architectures. This project has significant implications for improving global security while reducing costs to DoD and US taxpayers. Telesat looks forward to supporting DARPA as it works to achieve these goals.”
Telesat added that it will work with sub-contractor Leidos to complete required deliverables under its DARPA contract.
