Home > Communications Satellites
Communications Satellites Mission Partner
Space-based communications is in an age of profound digital transformation and MDA Space is leading the way Building on our decades-long heritage as trusted and tested mission partner for custom-built satellite missions in geostationary orbit, MDA Space is bringing its expertise to new and growing markets for flexible communication systems and services enabled by non-geostationary satellite constellations. Customers across the civil, commercial and defence sectors are embarking on low and medium Earth orbit (LEO and MEO) missions to meet demand for a growing range of communications services and applications, including broadband, Internet of Things, direct-to-device, and spacecraft communications. With a new software-defined digital satellite product line, high-volume manufacturing capabilities, and a team of the best innovators and satellite specialists in the world, we are in a global leadership position to support our customers now and into the future.
Trusted and tested – for decades.
MDA Space technology is operational on nearly all LEO and MEO communications satellite constellations today. With hundreds of first-of missions - from providing data communication capabilities between the International Space Station, NASA’s network of communications satellites and Earth ground stations, to developing multiple antennas for OneWeb’s 650-satellite constellation, to the revolutionary Telesat Lightspeed constellation, MDA Space satellite technology has been trusted and tested for decades.
MDA AURORA
New software-defined satellites to transform global satellite connectivity
To support increasing customer demand as the industry transitions from analog to digital satellite technologies, MDA Space is bringing to market a new software-defined digital satellite product line providing critical new solutions to operators.
The fully integrated portfolio includes a complete range of modular digital products and components for space-based communication solutions coupled with advanced high-volume manufacturing capable of producing two satellites a day – dramatically reducing production costs and schedule.
Advanced high-volume manufacturing
Delivering new levels of speed, scale and value
With our state-of-the-art high volume satellite manufacturing facilities in Montreal, our production lines leverage Industry 5.0 techniques including AI, automation, cobots, augmented reality and highly-skilled assemblers to meet the accelerated rates required for high volume non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite systems.
Next generation digital satellite missions
Mission partner: Telesat Lightspeed
MDA Space is the trusted mission partner for Telesat’s revolutionary low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation Telesat Lightspeed, an innovative global network that will bring enhanced digital connectivity to Canadians and customers worldwide. This includes the design, manufacture, assembly and test of 198 satellites. Telesat will be the anchor customer for our new software-defined digital satellite product line.
Mission partner: Globalstar
We are also mission partner for Globalstar’s new LEO constellation. MDA Space will be responsible for designing, manufacturing, assembling and testing 17 satellites, which will support Apple’s emergency SOS direct-to-device functionality.