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 LEO satellites will weigh roughly 800 kg, be designed to last 10 years, and carry two redundant Krypton-fueled electric propulsion systems.
Telesat has until 2023-01-01 to have at least 30 satellites in orbit under the ITU milestone schedule for operators that completed BIU prior to the rule changes.
Telesat LEO is a planned constellation expected to number around 300 satellites.
OneWeb and Leosat have exited the LEO broadband field, leaving three remaining contenders: Amazon, SpaceX, and Telesat.
Telesat’s accelerated clearing payment potential decreased by $30,400,000 to a total of $344,400,000 under the FCC’s final plan.
The FCC reduced SES’s and Telesat’s accelerated clearing payment amounts to provide modest increases to Paris-based Eutelsat Communications and Brazilian operator Embratel Star One.
Intelsat, SES, Eutelsat, Telesat, and Embratel Star One are collectively eligible to win up to $9,700,000,000 in accelerated payments if they clear 300 megahertz of C-band spectrum by 2023-12-05.
Telesat and SES asked the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to reject Intelsat’s request for a larger share of $9,700,000,000 in incentive payments for C-band clearing.
A combined allocation of $7,500,000,000 or more to Intelsat and Eutelsat would reduce the shares available to SES and Telesat under the FCC plan.
SES and Telesat say the scope of work for clearing C-band has not changed since Intelsat, SES, Eutelsat, and Telesat jointly commissioned a study as part of the C-Band Alliance in 2018.
Telesat would receive about 4% of the incentive payments under the FCC draft plan and is not seeking a larger share.
The FCC’s draft allocations could be worth about $4,000,000,000 to SES and nearly $375,000,000 to Telesat.
If the FCC maintains its original allocations, 50% of the incentive payments would go to Intelsat and 41% would go to SES, with the remaining 9% allocated to Eutelsat, Telesat, and Embratel Star One.
SES and Telesat released a joint letter on 2020-02-25 arguing that Intelsat’s justification for seeking more than a 50% share of the $9,700,000,000 is not valid.
Eutelsat proposed reducing SES’s share to 22.1% ($2,150,000,000), Telesat’s share to 0.12% ($11,200,000), and Star One’s share to 0.03% ($2,700,000).
Telesat planned a 300-satellite LEO constellation and was evaluating manufacturers including Maxar Technologies, Thales Alenia Space, and Airbus Defence and Space.
Eutelsat helped form the C-Band Alliance with Intelsat, SES, and Telesat in 2018 and quit the group in 2019 after disagreeing with its members.
Eutelsat proposed reducing SES’s share to 22.1% ($2,150,000,000), Telesat’s share to 0.12% ($11,200,000), and Embratel Star One’s share to 0.03% ($2,700,000).
The C-Band Alliance, comprised of Intelsat, SES and Telesat, estimates C-band clearing costs will amount to $3,300,000,000.
The C-Band Alliance estimated it will cost Intelsat, SES and Telesat $3,300,000,000 to clear 300 megahertz of C-band spectrum for U.S. 0.005 kg wireless networks.