Thales Alenia
Space selected by Telesat to build its Low Earth
Orbit (LEO)
broadband 298-satellite constellation
Lightspeed offering high
performing broadband
professional services around the globe
February 9, 2021
Thales Alenia Space has
signed an agreement with leading global
satellite operator Telesat to be the prime
contractor on the construction of Lightspeed,
its advanced LEO
network, a multi-billion dollar project
initially comprised of a fleet of 298
satellites.
This agreement has been
signed in the presence of Bruno Le Maire,
Minister of the Economy, Finance and
Recovery of France.
Following the intense work
done on Lightspeed’s innovative design, this
selection represents a major step
in the deployment of the project, as Telesat and
Thales Alenia Space significantly increase the
momentum
of activities in parallel with the finalization
of the Lightspeed project’s financial close.
Telesat will rely on Thales
Alenia Space not only to provide the space and
mission segments, but also to be
responsible for the end-to-end network
performance and related specifications of the
system.
Lightspeed’s space segment
will initially be comprised of 298 satellites,
in the 700-750 kg class. The
network will deliver multiple terabits per
second across the globe for secure, low-latency,
high-performing
broadband professional services.
Lightspeed is based on an
innovative architecture and next generation
technologies, providing a very high
level of flexibility in capacity allocation. The
constellation is built on a unique combination
of advanced onboard satellite equipment –
sophisticated active antennas that can
dynamically refocus beams a thousand
times per second, powerful and flexible
processors able to address a range of bandwidth,
optical laser links
between satellites to create a true global mesh
coverage of the world – and a mix of on-board
and onground software ensuring the optimal use
of the system resources. The flexibility brought
by this system is
the key to true competitiveness as it optimizes
sellable capacity in relation to the location of
demand, which
can vary significantly across time and between
hot spots such as airports and low-density areas
such as
remote communities. The
optical laser link interconnections between the
constellation satellites will provide
global, mesh coverage around the world,
including above the oceans and poles, with a
high level of
security for end-to-end services. It will
optimize the ground segment with a lower number
of gateway sites,
more freedom on gateway locations, and the
ability to deploy gateways in line with the
loading of the
system.
The first satellites are
expected to be ready for launch in two years.
“I want to warmly thank
Telesat for putting its trust in our company,
and we are proud to have been
selected after successfully going through a very
demanding competitive process,” said Hervé
Derrey, President and CEO of Thales Alenia
Space. “Thales Alenia Space is mastering
end-to-end flight proven
systems, digitalization of payloads,
inter-satellite links, management of
international organization as well as
industrial capabilities dedicated to
constellations, and we are honored to capitalize
on all this expertise to
serve this major program”.
“With our design and
engineering work complete, we’re excited to move
forward with Thales Alenia Space
as our Prime Contractor to manufacture
Lightspeed, the world’s most advanced and
capable LEO network,
stated Dan Goldberg, President and CEO of
Telesat. “Thales Alenia Space has an impressive
track record
and proven success in delivering innovative
satellite constellations. We are grateful for
the excellent work
they have done to date on our project and look
forward to working closely together to transform
and
redefine space-based communications with the
Lightspeed network.”
“Telesat's Lightspeed
constellation will be at the highest level of
global space connectivity. I am happy with
the selection of Thales Alenia Space as
industrial prime contractor for this ambitious
project supported by a strong partnership
between France and Canada. This selection also
illustrates the excellence of the French
and European space industry,” said Bruno Le
Maire, Minister of the Economy, Finance and
Recovery of
France.
Franck Riester, French
Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic
Attractiveness, is pleased with
this major contract, which strengthens ties
between France, Europe and Canada in the space
sector: “In
France, for the next 5 years, this contract will
mobilize Thales Alenia Space, which I visited
last January, as
well as a large number of French companies. This
reflects the quality of our industrial and
technological
know-how."
In connection with the
agreement Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio
made a capacity commitment on
Lightspeed.
With GlobalStar 2, O3B and
Iridium NEXT, Thales Alenia Space has developed
all of the Low and Medium
Earth Orbit telecommunications constellations in
full operational service today. The company has
leveraged
on this long-standing experience to address
additional new markets such as high revisit
earth observation,
the surveillance of space from space, space
debris tracking and the Internet of Things.