Dive Brief:
- Satellite manufacturer Terran Orbital has received a $2.4 billion contract to manufacture 300 low-Earth orbit satellites for Rivada Space Networks’ internet constellation, the company announced last month.
- Terran subsidiary Tyvak International will serve as the lead contractor to design and manufacture 288 satellites and 12 spare ones, according to a news release. It will integrate the communication parts and perform the final assembly, integration and test.
- The first four satellites are set to launch in 2025, with 300 in the sky by mid-2026.
Dive Insight:
Rivada Space Networks presented its satellite network at the Satellite 2022 convention last spring. It plans to offer secure, ultra-low latency, high-bandwidth services to telecom, maritime, energy and government services markets.
The telecommunications firm has since raced to complete its satellite design and deployment framework and enact a procurement plan to satisfy constellation milestones set by the International Telecommunication Union. The company must deploy 50% of the satellites stated within five years to keep the “high priority” frequencies it filed for.
“We are delighted that today we have completed another milestone in the development of our unique constellations,” Chief Program Officer Clemens Kaiser said in a statement on the manufacturing contract. “The timeline was extremely tight. This demonstrates that we have the right technology in place to sustainably move … from concept to reality and that our chosen satellite manufacturer has the required combination of experience, agility and innovation to deliver.”
The manufacturer must deliver 144 satellites to Rivada Space Networks before Q1 2026 and the rest no later than Q2 2026, according to a securities filing.
Other companies like Amazon are also forging ahead with satellite production to adhere to timelines set by specialized agencies for their constellations.
