Canadian satellite company Telesat has signed a new memorandum of understanding with the government of Quebec, for an investment of CAD 400 million into Telesat Lightspeed, the firm’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network. Under the terms of the MOU, the government will provide CAD 200 million in preferred equity and the other CAD 200 million as a loan.
Telesat said it plans to invest USD 1.6 billion into Quebec, both directly and through its supply chain, which will include a significant portion of Lightspeed manufacturing and operations. Telesat said the Lightspeed programme is expected to create 600 high-paying STEM jobs..
Telesat and Thales to produce one satellite per day
Quebec will house a large Telesat campus that will feature a broad range of Lightspeed technical operations, including the Network Operating Centre, a Satellite Control Centre, the Cybersecurity Operations Centre, the Engineering Lab and an advanced Landing Station providing secure, high-capacity communication links to the Lightspeed constellation. The new campus will host about 320 new, highly skilled Telesat jobs, largely in STEM.
Telesat has selected Canadian space tech firm MDA to manufacture the phased array antennas to be incorporated into the Lightspeed satellites. MDA will make the antennas using 3D additive manufacturing and will incorporate advanced beam hopping technology so that the constellation can dynamically and flexibly focus high capacity broadband links into rural and remote communities and other demand hot spots around the world.
Telesat’s prime contractor, Thales Alenia Space, will establish the final manufacturing of the advanced Lightspeed satellites at an assembly, integration and testing facility in Quebec. The goal will be to deliver an average of one Lightspeed satellite per day.
