Telesat (NASDAQ and TSX: TSAT) has contracted Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) to manufacture a LEO demo satellite for the company.
The demonstration satellite, named LEO 3, will provide continuity for customer and ecosystem vendor testing campaigns following the decommissioning of Telesat’s Phase 1 LEO satellite. Once successfully launched and on-station, LEO 3 will operate under an existing ITU network filing for Telesat Lightspeed, the company’s enterprise-class, LEO constellation.
SFL is developing LEO 3 on the company’s DEFIANT smallsat platform, a cost-effective design that supports demanding missions without sacrificing performance. The completed LEO 3 will be a compact microsatellite measuring 30x30x45 cm with a mass of 30 kg. More than a dozen DEFIANT satellites developed for SFL clients are now on-orbit and serving applications that range from maritime ship tracking to radio frequency signal mapping.
LEO 3 is nearing completion at SFL following a relatively aggressive development schedule. SFL has integrated the communications payload with the LEO 3 bus and successfully completed vibration and electromagnetic compatibility testing of the spacecraft. Additional tests are ongoing.
“We’re excited to partner with SFL, who has as a proven track record for building high-performing satellite platforms – on time and within budget. LEO 3 will serve an important role for low-latency customer applications testing, and for supporting LEO antenna and modem development efforts in advance of our Telesat Lightspeed satellite deployment.”
— Dave Wendling, Telesat’s Chief Technical Officer
“DEFIANT is a scalable platform with the power capabilities and versatility to support a variety of mission objectives, yet it is compact enough to keep launch costs at a manageable level for commercial programs. SFL is pleased that our microspace technology can be the enabler for Telesat to achieve its demonstration goals for high bandwidth operations in LEO.”
— Dr. Robert E. Zee, Director, SFL