Maxar, Thales-Alenia now rival bidders
October 25, 2019
By Chris Forrester
Reportedly Maxar Technologies and Thales-Alenia Space have scrubbed their joint-venture plan to bid for Ottawa-based Telesat’s mega-constellation satellite order.
The pair were competing against Airbus Defence & Space for the order. Now they will bid separately for the order for a 300-satellite Low Earth orbiting constellation, said to be worth around $3 billion to the winning contractor.
Trade newsletter Space News reports that Telesat’s CEO Dan Goldberg declined to be more specific with further details, citing non-disclosure agreements in place.
However, Sandrine Bielecki, a spokeswoman for Thales Alenia, said that her company was actively bidding on the contract.
Meanwhile, Maxar would still be using its Space Systems/Loral subsidiary for its bid on the constellation.
Telesat is looking to have its first portion of the planned fleet in orbit by 2022, with a full global service in place by 2023.