Telesat’s Lightspeed generated two agreements in Europe in recent days, as the company aims to get its first low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellation satellites into space in 2026.
Telesat has a new agreement with France’s Orange – a telco operator and digital service provider – as well as a satellite operator Space Norway, pending a definitive agreement for the second half of 2025. The expected amount of the contracts was not disclosed. Telesat officials will likely provide more information about the implications of these agreements to analysts later this month, when the company is expected to provide its quarterly results.
The agreement with Orange will see a Lightspeed landing station hosted at a teleport in Bercenay-en-Othe, France, which is roughly two hours southeast of Paris. A teleport is a ground-based portion of a satellite network that provides “the critical connectivity and services management that gives satellites in GEO, MEO and LEO orbits their value,” according to the World Teleport Association. Orange has a point of presence in Paris that will provide ground segment connectivity for this teleport.
Orange also signed a “capacity commitment” for Telesat Lightspeed LEO service. Telesat’s statement indicated Lightspeed would be used for better connectivity for Orange customers in Europe, Africa and other global locations.
“This strategic partnership highlights our commitment to delivering resilient connectivity solutions through our advanced, fully integrated space and terrestrial infrastructure,” stated Glenn Katz, Telesat’s chief commercial officer.
The pact with Space Norway, which should complete its definitive agreement later this year, also concerns Telesat Lightspeed LEO connectivity services. Space Norway plans to use a capacity pool “to provide secure, low-latency connectivity services for its defense, enterprise, maritime and land customers,” the statement read.
“The advanced Telesat Lightspeed network will provide resilient communications for Norway and its allied partners throughout the Arctic region, and meet mission-critical connectivity requirements for enterprise customers throughout the EMEA [Europe, the Middle East and Africa] region and beyond,” Telesat officials wrote.
Telesat and its prime satellite contractor, MDA Space, announced in December that the spacecraft and subsystems had completed the preliminary design review for the Lightspeed constellation. The initial order with MDA, awarded in 2023, provides for 198 satellites in the initial phase.
Telesat delayed its expected deployment of Lightspeed by several years, largely on account of supply chain disruptions induced by the pandemic in 2020. Telesat eventually switched its prime satellite contractor and – to account for inflation – reduced the number of initial satellites for its constellation, as it successfully sought new government agreements for financing.
Telesat officials have emphasized for years that there will still be enough satellites in the initial phase to more than meet initial customer demand.