Ottawa-based satellite operator Telesat has formally advised the Federal Communications Commission that it wants to reduce the size of its proposed Liightspeed low Earth orbiting fleet from 1,671 craft to 300.

The major change is that Telesat will orbit the Lightspeed fleet in higher orbital altitudes. The initial ‘Shell 1’ launches were due to comprise 351 craft at 1,015 kms. The new plan is to use 156 craft at the higher 1,335 kms altitude. The ‘Shell 2’ launch plan will see 1,320 satellites reduced to just 108 craft operating at 1,325 kms.

Telesat has an initial 198 of its Lightspeed fleet already being built by Quebec-based MDA Space.

MDA Space began construction in early 2024 on a new facility to double the capacity of the company’s high-volume satellite manufacturing facility in Quebec, Canada, where the Telesat Lightspeed satellites will be produced. Telesat plans to begin launching satellites in 2026 and to go ‘live’ in 2027.

Telesat has orders in place with the Canadian governments and some of its federal government for capacity once the Lightspeed fleet is in orbit. Earlier in April it also won a contract from Viasat of California for a multi-year contract for Lightspeed to serve Viasat’s clients including commercial aviation and government.

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Categories: Articles, Broadband, Satellite

Tags: canada, lightspeed, telesat