LeoSat and Thales Alenia Space continue to partner on feasibility study
Cannes, June 15, 2015
LeoSat and Thales Alenia Space have decided to carry on with conducting the feasibility study for LeoSat’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, which will provide high-speed, low-latency, cost-effective broadband services worldwide.
This
study
phase,
started
nine
months
ago,
has
already
resulted
in a
preliminary
system
design
for
the
LeoSat
constellation.
LeoSat
and
Thales
Alenia
Space
will
continue
their
joint
examination
of
innovative
technical
and
industrial
solutions
based
on
Thales
Alenia
Space’s
flight
proven
expertise
to
design,
develop
and
build
complex
LEO
constellation
systems.
In
the
coming
months,
LeoSat
and
Thales
Alenia
Space will
assess
architecture
and
performance of
the
overall
system,
including
both
the
ground
and
space
segments.
The
LeoSat
constellation
is
initially
planned
to
include
80
to
120
high-powered,
Ka-band
satellites
in
LEO,
providing
worldwide
coverage
specifically
for
large
private
corporations
and
government
agencies.
Its
cost-effective,
extremely
high-speed,
low-latency,
strongly-secured
data
network
is
intended
to
set
new
standards
in
satellite
performance.
The
system
provides
point-to-point
data
connections
to
and
from
anywhere
on
Earth
without
the
need
for
any
interstitial
terrestrial
landings
or
transport.
The
data
will
be
able
to
travel
in
its
native
form,
but
is
encrypted
and
secured
from
end
to
end.
The
satellites
will
fly
in
polar
orbits
at
an
altitude
of
approximately
1,400
kilometers,
forming
a
global,
private
data
network
via
high-speed
inter-satellite
links.
Each
satellite
will
be
fitted
with
a
dozen
steerable
spot
beams,
providing
an
aggregate
throughout
of
greater
than
10
Gbps.
“Thales
Alenia
Space
is
very
proud
to
team
with
LeoSat
on
the
feasibility
of
its
exciting
new
LEO
constellation,”
said
Jean
Loïc
Galle,
CEO
of
Thales
Alenia
Space.
“We
will
provide
LeoSat
with
all
our
experience
and
expertise
based
on
our
work
with
O3b
and
Iridium
NEXT
around
complex
system
validation,
industrial
challenges
and
cost
efficiency
versus
performance.”
The
feasibility
study
is
expected
to
be
completed
by
July.
LeoSat
expects
to
be
ready
to
contract
for
its
satellite
constellation
development
within
about
a
year,
with
the
launch
taking
place
in
2019
or
2020.
