Home / Technology / Telesat Secures Canadian Land for Lightspeed Network
Telesat Secures Canadian Land for Lightspeed Network
11 Mar
Summary
- Telesat is expanding its Canadian landing station network for Lightspeed.
- New sites in Quebec and Saskatchewan are being secured.
- Pathfinder deployment for Lightspeed is scheduled for December.
Telesat has secured access to more land across Canada for its Lightspeed constellation's landing stations, a crucial step ahead of pathfinder deployment planned for December. The company announced on March 10 the acquisition of sites in Estevan, Saskatchewan, and Papineauville, Quebec, along with a lease in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan. These stations will facilitate data transfer between satellites and major internet exchange points.
These newly acquired Canadian locations join previously announced plans for a landing station in Timmins, Ontario, and agreements with international partners in France and Australia. Telesat anticipates having 24 operational landing stations globally by the time initial services commence in 2027. Customers will also have the option to utilize private landing stations, offering enhanced sovereign data control.
The Lightspeed network relies on 198 satellites being built by MDA Space, equipped with optical inter-satellite links (OISLs). While OISLs reduce the need for ground infrastructure, landing stations remain vital for routing data close to its destination and complying with national security and data privacy regulations, such as those in India. The expansion in Quebec is expected to be completed by September, with Saskatchewan sites following by year-end.
