US-UAE Satellite Joint Venture Equatys Nears Launch

en.Wedoany.com Reported - US satellite operator Viasat said during an analyst briefing following its quarterly and full-year results that its joint venture Equatys with Abu Dhabi's Space42 is "imminently" close to being formally established.

The joint venture was originally scheduled to announce its formation in May, but was delayed due to the selection of the satellite constellation manufacturer and its level of involvement in the venture. Equatys plans to deploy a constellation of 2,800 low Earth orbit satellites.

Viasat CEO Mark Dankberg told analysts that Viasat will manufacture the payloads for the satellite constellation itself, but the satellite "platforms" will be built by a third party. This decision, along with similar arrangements for launching the satellites, needs to be finalized soon to meet the planned 2029 service date.

Dankberg said Viasat will play a leading role in network payload technology and beamforming, and is open to partners for launch and satellite platforms, potentially including low-cost manufacturers associated with specific geographic regions that would be favored by regional spectrum holders or service providers.

Dankberg added that Viasat has strong reasons to lobby the European Commission for a portion of the upcoming S-band spectrum. Through its now fully-owned Inmarsat business, Viasat already has S-band usage rights in Europe, but that spectrum will be auctioned in 2027. Dankberg told analysts that Viasat will "absolutely" seek to extend its existing frequency rights, which expire in May 2027. Inmarsat operates the critical European Aviation Network (EAN) service, providing connectivity to aircraft, particularly air-to-ground connectivity for European short-haul airlines.

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