• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • NEWS:
  • SatNews
  • SatMagazine
  • MilSatMagazine
  • SmallSat News
  • |     EVENTS:
  • SmallSat Symposium
  • Satellite Innovation
  • MilSat Symposium

SatNews

  • HOME
  • Magazines
  • Events
  • SmallSat Symposium Updates
  • Industry Calendar
    • IN PERSON
    • VIRTUAL
  • Subscribe

Quilty Analytics On… Telesat’s Lightspeed Constellation

May 27, 2021

Quilty Analytics has issued to subscribers the latest edition of its Satcom Quarterly Briefing that evaluates Telesat’s innovative LEO satellite constellation called Lightspeed.

Telesat Lightspeed will combine 298 crosslinked next-gen satellites with an advanced ground infrastructure to create a highly secure, global mesh network that will mainly serve enterprise/ B2B markets, including carriers & MNOs, and customers in aero, maritime, and government. The first Telesat Lightspeed launches are planned for late 2023, and commercial service could commence in 2024.

Chris Quilty, Partner of Quilty Analytics, commented, “In our last Satcom Quarterly, we delved into SpaceX Starlink and the role it could play in fulfilling Elon Musk’s ambitions to colonize Mars. The positive comments we received were very gratifying, and many subscribers asked if we could do a similar evaluation of Telesat Lightspeed. Our key findings on Lightspeed are supported by discussions with colleagues across the space industry and communications with senior executives at Telesat.”

Here are highlights from Quilty’s latest Satcom Quarterly:

  • Lightspeed’s innovative system design combines high capacity, low latency, and “plug & play” interoperability giving Telesat important advantages in serving enterprise markets.
  • Unlike its LEO competitors, Telesat has a pre-existing satcom business with established customers, regulatory standing, global distribution, and a revenue base >$600 million that generates high EBITDA margins and significant free cash flows.
  • Our financial model of the Lightspeed program confirms that Telesat will likely need to generate ‘run rate revenue’ of $2.5 billion to realize a return on its investment in line with a hurdle rate of 10-12%. To achieve this target, Telesat must grow its annual data revenues, currently at $300 million, by ~8x.
  • Telesat has yet to start full satellite construction and could be 2+ years later to market than key NGSO competitors, such as OneWeb & O3b mPOWER, which are both targeting similar enterprise customers as Telesat.

Chris Quilty added, “The Lightspeed effort represents Telesat’s greatest opportunity in its 50-year history, but also presents significant risks. Challenges include: (1) securing financing, (2) keeping the program on-budget and on-schedule, and (3) driving billions in revenue from broadband SATCOM markets that have historically seen only modest growth. Compounding these challenges, Telesat can expect to face well-backed GEO/NGSO competitors that are likely to enter years ahead of Telesat Lightspeed.”

Filed Under: Analysis / Reports, SmallSat

Primary Sidebar

Most Read Stories

  • In Their Honor ... Lest We Forget
  • Space Debris, and the EU’s Space Act
  • In celebration of Juneteenth
  • AST SpaceMobile to launch 243 satellites
  • Rocket Lab partners with U.S.A.F. | AFRL for Neutron launch for rocket cargo missions

About Satnews

  • Contacts
  • History

Archives

  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020

Secondary Sidebar

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkPrivacy policy
x
Sign up Now (For Free)
Access daily or weekly satellite news updates covering all aspects of the commercial and military satellite industry.
Invalid email address
Notify Me Regarding ( At least one ):
We value your privacy and will not sell or share your email or other information with any other company. You may also unsubscribe at anytime.

Click Here to see our full privacy policy.
Thanks for subscribing!