Space42 is the newly-established combination of Abu Dhabi’s Al Yah (YahSat) and Bayanat AI, which operates the Thuraya fleet of satellites. Its latest, Thuraya 4, was launched on January 3rd into its transfer orbit and is on its way to a location at 44 degrees East. The company says that Thuraya 4 has a firm backlog of $799 million the company states they are looking to launch Direct-to-Device services with a new LEO constellation.
over a 15-year period.
The new craft will replace Thuraya 2 which was launched in 2003 and still remains in service. However, Thuraya 3, launched in 2008, suffered a power anomaly which has meant lower revenues from the craft.
Ali Al Hashemi, chief executive of Space42’s Yahsat Space Services division, said the company’s ambition is to become a global, non-terrestrial leader and to establish direct-to-device and IoT connections.
Initially these services would be simple Text and short-message services using the company’s geostationary satellites, and tap into 20 MHz of spectrum for D2D. Al Hashemi has said Space42 will move cautiously into the market but is convinced the business case is valid.