Telesat “confident” of hitting LEO deadlines
November 12, 2020
By Chris Forrester
Telesat’s SVP of Corporate & Business Development, Michael Schwartz, told attendees to the Euroconsult World Satellite Business Week event, held virtually this year, that the Canadian company would meet the key deadlines to build and launch its Low Earth Orbiting satellite constellation.
Earlier this week Telesat confirmed a C$600 million (€387.5m) commitment from the Canadian government for capacity on the system, which has yet to launch any satellites mother then a test craft,
Telesat, according to obligations set by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), must launch at least 30 satellites by January 1st 2023. However, Schwartz said he also said that should for some reason Telesat should miss the first deadline then the company would request a date deferment from the ITU.
He also addressed the challenge from rival SpaceX and its Starlink service over Canada, and said there was room in the market for competition.
Schwartz explained that Telesat’s objective was to create a ‘fibre-like’ system able to match urban demands. “It has to look as much like fibre as possible”.