Telesat is a Canadian satellite communications company and operator, providing connectivity solutions to telecom, government, and enterprise clients globally. They are currently developing Telesat Lightspeed, a low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation of 198 satellites designed for high-speed, low-latency broadband services. Telesat partners with companies like MDA Space, Orange, and Intellian for satellite manufacturing, terrestrial infrastructure, and user terminals. The company aims to begin launching satellites in 2026, with the constellation fully operational by 2027.
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Telesat’s prototype LEO broadband satellite launched more than two years ago demonstrated latencies of 30–60 milliseconds during testing.
The FCC’s accelerated clearing program requires SES, Intelsat, Eutelsat, Telesat, and Embratel Star One to clear the first 120 megahertz of C-band by 2021-12-05.
The FCC voted on 2020-02-28 to proceed with an auction plan that covers spectrum relocation costs for Intelsat, SES, Eutelsat, Telesat, and Embratel Star One.
Intelsat and SES, working with Eutelsat and Telesat as the C-Band Alliance in 2018, said they would need eight new satellites combined to cede 200 megahertz of spectrum.
EchoStar is expanding into South America using capacity on a Telesat satellite, a Eutelsat satellite, and Yahsat’s Al Yah 3 satellite.
Telesat has signed schedule-protection project contracts with key component suppliers to keep Telesat LEO on track regardless of which prime contractor or contractors Telesat chooses.
Telesat is currently choosing between two bids to build the Telesat LEO constellation after the separation of Maxar and Thales Alenia Space.
Telesat anticipates activating 12 to 15 gateway stations in 2022 to support its polar satellites and another 12 to 15 gateway stations in 2023 for its inclined-orbit satellites.
Telesat plans a low-Earth-orbit constellation of 298 internet satellites called Telesat LEO.
Telesat intends to order an undetermined number of ground spares for the Telesat LEO constellation.
Telesat signed a launch contract with Blue Origin in January 2019 for multiple New Glenn missions.
Telesat plans to add another 20 gateway stations as demand for the Telesat LEO service grows.
Telesat launched a single Telesat LEO prototype satellite 28 months before this article to demonstrate low-latency broadband.
Telesat plans to address mobility markets by beaming Wi-Fi to ships and aircraft as well as serving business and government users.
Telesat plans to launch the remaining 220 Telesat LEO satellites into inclined orbits by the end of 2023.
Telesat’s deployment timeline calls for launching 78 Telesat LEO satellites into polar orbits in 2022.
Because Telesat completed bring-into-use before the World Radiocommunication Conference rule changes, the ITU milestones for Telesat start on 2021-01-01 instead of on Telesat’s BIU date.
Telesat completed bring-into-use for its LEO Vantage 1 prototype satellite in 2018 after launching the satellite as a co-passenger on an Indian PSLV rocket.
A single New Glenn mission will be able to launch 30 to 35 Telesat LEO satellites.
The polar Telesat LEO satellites are intended to enable service in high northern latitudes in 2022, with global service commencing in 2023 after inclined-orbit satellites launch.