: A SpaceX Falcon 9 was launched on Sept. 8 with another batch of Starlink satellites.
Telesat signed a 14-flight contract with SpaceX to deploy its Lightspeed broadband satellite constellation, the companies said Sept. 11.
Up to 18 Lightspeed satellites, manufactured by MDA, will fly on each Falcon 9 mission, with launches beginning in 2026, Telesat said.
“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,” company President and CEO Dan Goldberg said in a statement.
Lightspeed is among several satellite-based broadband networks in development, joining OneWeb, SpaceX’s own Starlink and other systems already in low Earth orbit.
Telesat is tailoring Lightspeed to serve agency, business and government users with a network of optically linked, high-speed, low-latency satellites offering secure and resilient global communications. The system is expected to begin services in late 2027.
