Quantcast

Telesat secures funding for Lightspeed satellite constellation aiming for 2027 global service

Airport Workers Save the Day After Woman Loses Diamond from Her Engagement Ring in Baggage Carousel
I never talk to strangers on the plane. After my dad died, a passenger helped me talk about my grief.
American Airlines reveals new summer route: Miami → Rome
Budget UK airline launches huge sale with £29 flights to 475 holiday hotspots – but you’ll have to be quick
Delta Passengers Can Book a ‘Last Mile’ Private Jet Charter to Europe This Summer
Honeywell Runway Safety Technology Selected by Southwest Airlines for Fleetwide Installation
Southwest Airlines Adds Cockpit Alerts to Boost Runway Safety
This Airline Is Going to Start Handing Out $675 Fines to 'Unruly' Passengers: 'It Is Unacceptable'
Summer of savings? New analysis shows airfare has dropped significantly - The Points Guy
Travelers are taking extreme measures and using hacks to avoid airline baggage fees
Pigeons Cause Chaos on Delta Flight
United Airlines’ Uniforms Get A Facelift—And A Political Filter
United Continues to Face Catering Chaos at San Francisco
Passenger Stows Away on Delta Flight from New York to Paris
Wizz Air becomes first airline to operate P&W-powered Airbus A321XLR jet
Hawaiian Airlines’ new ‘no show’ policy may make travel more expensive
BLIMP-SE OF THE FUTURE Luxury zeppelins of the future from ‘flying bum’ world’s largest aircraft to Google billionaire’s ‘impossible’ airship
Swiss Startup SmartFlyer Develops Hybrid-Electric Trainer
San Francisco-based entrepreneur takes a trip on India's worst-rated airline, his reaction will surprise you
First-Time Flyer at 81: A Grandmother's Memorable Journey
Ryanair forecasts fare rebound as consumers recover from interest-rate hit
Alaska Airlines' “Aviation Day” inspires future aviators
Global Airlines Launches Inaugural Flight, Aiming to Revive 'Golden Age of Travel'
Winning routes: American Airlines adds more than 22,000 seats for football fans following release of 2025–2026 pro schedule
Boeing scores Middle East plane deal during Trump visit
Air travel will be ‘worse’ this summer, lawmakers warn — as FAA gives infuriating update on system fixes, staffing issues
Qatar Airways places record $96 billion Boeing order amid Trump visit
United Airlines CEO Reassures Passengers About Newark Airport Safety
American Testing Tech to Help Passengers Make Connecting Flights
British Airways to use AI in efforts to improve operations
Telesat secures funding for Lightspeed satellite constellation aiming for 2027 global service
Events
Webp a26alwjlaojrh25is3g894am56va
Boeing 777X | The Boeing Company

Telesat now has all financing sources in place to fund its global Lightspeed Ka-band Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation. Management tells Runway Girl Network that the Canadian satellite operator aims to begin satellite launches in “mid-2026” in support of a 2027 go-live date for global services, including inflight connectivity.

Funding agreements with the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec have been completed to cover the Lightspeed network — including the LEO satellites and launch vehicles needed to deploy them; an integrated terrestrial network of landing stations and worldwide points of presence; and the business and operational support systems for the network.

“As previously disclosed, the Government of Canada loan is for C$2.14 billion and will carry a floating interest rate that is 4.75% above the Canadian Overnight Repo Rate Average (CORRA) with a 15-year maturity,” says Telesat in a statement.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

“The Government of Quebec loan is for C$400 million,” it adds, “and has terms that largely mirror the Government of Canada loan but with warrants for 1.87%, in proportion to the smaller loan amount.” The borrower under each loan, Telesat LEO Inc. (Telesat LEO), is a subsidiary of Telesat.

MDA is a prime contractor on the program and will build 198 advanced satellites for the Lightspeed LEO network. Supporting the network with essential software and services is Ottawa-based Calian, which will design, develop, deliver, and deploy the Element Management System (EMS) as well as provide lifecycle maintenance and support.

Stephen Hampton, who serves as senior director, government relations and strategic accounts at Telesat tells RGN that Calian has already started working on the EMS, with final deliverables due in 2026.

Satellite launches, he confirms, “will begin in mid-2026” and “MDA has contracted over 90% of their supply chain for the Telesat Lightspeed program.”

Asked by RGN if Telesat is putting a timeline on when Lightspeed aero service will reasonably be available, Hampton said: “Full global service with guaranteed SLAs will begin in late 2027; however customer beta testing will begin prior.”

Several inflight connectivity stakeholders remain very excited about the prospect of Lightspeed LEO-powered IFC, either as an augment to geostationary satellite-based IFC or offered in standalone form.

For example, operators carrying ThinKom Solutions’ popular multi-orbit capable VICTS hardware for Ka-band GEO connectivity service could augment their service with Lightspeed or potentially move wholesale to a Lightspeed-powered IFC solution in the future (providing the airline owner strikes a deal with the satellite operator for the service portion and executes on an overnight modem change). No changes will need to be made outside the aircraft.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Etihad Airways has announced the introduction of new routes to Salalah, Oman, starting May 21, 2026, and Krakow, Poland, beginning June 16, 2026.

Jul 3, 2025

Allegiant Air has announced the launch of its Summer of Travel Sweepstakes on X, offering participants a chance to win a summer of flights for two.

Jul 3, 2025

Airlines for America has called for the modernization of the U.S. air traffic control system amid record air travel and a growing reliance on air cargo shipments.

Jul 3, 2025

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has issued travel recommendations for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, advising passengers to arrive two hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international flights.

Jul 3, 2025

Ethiopian Airlines has announced the commencement of a new four-times-weekly passenger service to Porto, Portugal.

Jul 3, 2025

Hainan Airlines has announced the formal implementation of its codeshare agreement with Air Europa, set to commence on July 1, 2025.

Jul 3, 2025