Overview

Telesat is working with leading manufacturers and developers so its customers will have a variety of terminals to make full use of Telesat LEO at the right performance and price points. Telesat LEO will fully support both electronically steered antennas (ESAs) and mechanically steered antennas for commercial, government, and military markets including requirements for land, land-mobile, aeronautical, maritime, and other platforms. ESAs have attracted tremendous interest within the satellite industry as well-established suppliers and new entrants work on ESA development. Telesat is following their activities and collaborating directly with some of these companies to make sure they will have high performance, cost-effective products available to support the roll-out of Telesat LEO services.

Telesat LEO terminals will be easy to deploy, will self acquire the satellite network, and will provide Gbps capacity with a Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) compliant interfaces making a seamless integration to the terrestrial network. Terminals will be available for all types of applications ranging from fixed services, land, marine, and aero mobility services, in the form of low profile ESA or traditional mechanically steered antennas from 65 cm aperture size and up. [1]

On October 14, 2020, it was reported that Telesat U.S. Services, LLC was awarded a contract by DARPA for the development and in-orbit demonstration of low-latency commercial LEO spacecraft buses in a constellation network as part of DARPA’s Blackjack program.

Telesat initially had a contract started in 2018 from the Blackjack Phase 1 Program for system engineering and interface definition of the spacecraft.  As part of the Phase 2/3 Program, Telesat U.S. Services will demonstrate the developed technology which includes in-orbit testing of OISLs.  Telesat U.S. Services plans to deliver two spacecraft buses to DARPA in less than a year’s time to demonstrate OISL interoperability and communications with government payloads. If tests go well, DARPA may procure more satellite buses from Telesat which would turn the $18.3 million contract into possibly a $175.6 million dollar contract for Telesat if all options are exercised. [2]

Related Links

Article: ThinKom to Develop Telesat LEO User Terminal

Article: LEO and MEO broadband constellations mega source of consternation

Article: Telesat teams with General Dynamics for LEO user terminals

Article: Another Milestone for Telesat’s LEO Program

Article: System Requirements Review Completed for Telesat’s LEO Constellation

Article: Say It with Space Lasers – Optical Comsats for Major War