Telesat and SpaceX Announce 14-Launch Agreement for Advanced Telesat Lightspeed LEO Satellites
September 11 2023 - 6:00AM
Telesat (NASDAQ and TSX: TSAT), one of the world’s largest and most
innovative satellite operators, and SpaceX, which designs,
manufactures and launches the world’s most advanced rockets and
spacecraft, today announced a multi-launch agreement to deliver the
Telesat Lightspeed constellation to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
Telesat has contracted 14 launches on SpaceX’s
Falcon 9, the most reliable and only reusable orbital rocket flying
today, which will carry up to 18 Telesat Lightspeed satellites to
LEO per launch. The launch campaign is scheduled to commence in
2026 and will take advantage of SpaceX’s high launch cadence to
rapidly deploy the satellites and enable Telesat to begin providing
global service in 2027. Launches for the campaign will lift off
from SpaceX’s launch facilities in California and Florida.
Designed from inception to serve the demanding,
mission-critical connectivity requirements of enterprise and
government users, the optically-linked Telesat Lightspeed network
will provide multi-Gbps data links and highly secure, resilient,
low-latency broadband connectivity anywhere in the world. With the
August signing of MDA as the prime satellite manufacturer and all
necessary launch contracts in place for global constellation
deployment, Telesat is well-positioned to begin delivering
unmatched, enterprise-class connectivity in late 2027.
“SpaceX has been a trusted and effective launch
provider to Telesat on our geostationary satellite programs and I
am delighted that they will be supporting us with their highly
reliable Falcon 9 rocket to deploy the Telesat Lightspeed
constellation, the most ambitious program in Telesat’s 54-year
history,” stated Dan Goldberg, Telesat’s President and CEO. “Given
the dedication and professionalism of the SpaceX team, and their
outstanding track record of reliability and demonstrated high
launch cadence, I have the utmost confidence that they will be an
outstanding partner in helping us bring Telesat Lightspeed into
service in a timely and low risk manner.”
“With growing demand for high-speed internet
around the world, SpaceX is proud to launch and deploy Telesat’s
Lightspeed constellation” said SpaceX President and Chief Operating
Officer Gwynne Shotwell. “Building upon our successful launch
partnership to-date, we look forward to flying Telesat once again
as they expand connectivity capabilities for their customers across
the globe.”
About Telesat
Backed by a legacy of engineering excellence,
reliability and industry-leading customer service, Telesat (NASDAQ
and TSX: TSAT) is one of the largest and most innovative global
satellite operators. Telesat works collaboratively with its
customers to deliver critical connectivity solutions that tackle
the world’s most complex communications challenges, providing
powerful advantages that improve their operations and drive
profitable growth.
Continuously innovating to meet the connectivity
demands of the future, Telesat Lightspeed, the company’s Low Earth
Orbit (LEO) satellite network, will be the first and only LEO
network optimized to meet the rigorous requirements of telecom,
government, maritime and aeronautical customers. Telesat Lightspeed
will redefine global satellite connectivity with ubiquitous,
affordable, high-capacity links with fibre-like speeds. For updates
on Telesat, follow us @Telesat on X, LinkedIn, or visit
www.telesat.com.
Media Contact:
Lynette SimmonsTelesat+1 613 748
8729pr@telesat.com
Forward-Looking Statements Safe
Harbor
This news release contains statements that are
not based on historical fact and are “forward-looking statements’’
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995 and Canadian securities laws. When used herein, statements
which are not historical in nature, or which contain the words
“will,” “expect,” “well-positioned,” “scheduled to” or similar
expressions, are forward-looking statements. Actual results may
differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in the
forward-looking statements as a result of known and unknown risks
and uncertainties. All statements made in this press release are
made only as of the date set forth at the beginning of this
release. Telesat Corporation undertakes no obligation to update the
information made in this release in the event facts or
circumstances subsequently change after the date of this press
release.
These forward-looking statements are based on
Telesat Corporation’s current expectations and are subject to a
number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. These statements
are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks,
uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond Telesat
Corporation’s control, are difficult to predict, and could cause
actual results to differ materially from those expressed or
forecasted in the forward-looking statements. There are numerous
risks and uncertainties associated with Telesat’s business and the
Telesat Lightspeed constellation. Known risks and uncertainties
include but are not limited to: inflation and rising interest
rates; Telesat’s ability to enter into definitive funding
agreements with the company’s Canadian federal and provincial
government partners, and to meet the funding conditions of those
agreements and of its vendor financing; technological hurdles,
including our and our contractors’ development and deployment of
the new technologies required to complete the constellation in time
to meet our schedule, or at all; the availability of services and
components from our and our contractors’ supply chains;
competition; risks associated with domestic and foreign government
regulation, including access to sufficient orbital spectrum to be
able to deliver services effectively and access to sufficient
geographic markets in which to sell those services; Telesat’s
ability to develop significant commercial and operational
capabilities; risks associated with operating satellites and
providing satellite services, including satellite construction or
launch delays, launch failures, in-orbit failures or impaired
satellite performance; and volatility in exchange rates. The
foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive. Investors
should review the other risk factors discussed in Telesat
Corporation’s annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended
December 31, 2022, that was filed on March 29, 2023, with the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and the
Canadian securities regulatory authorities at the System for
Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (“SEDAR”), and may be
accessed on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov/ and SEDAR’s
website at https://www.sedarplus.ca/ as well as our subsequent
reports on Form 6-K filed with the SEC and also available on
SEDAR.
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