As Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks become a cornerstone of global connectivity strategies, government agencies and commercial enterprises are increasingly committing capital, operational resources, and long-term strategic initiatives to this transformative technology. They are making these investments because LEO satellite networks deliver fibre-like performance with global reach, which is essential for every organization with remote connectivity and mobility requirements.
However, as the market matures and technical standards evolve, stakeholders must ensure their investments are not only effective today but also resilient for the long term. The question facing decision-makers is no longer whether to invest in LEO satellite services, but where and how to allocate investments effectively.
Spotlight on FPAs: The future of user terminals
Flat Panel Antennas (FPAs) are at the heart of next-gen LEO connectivity—delivering high throughput, highly resilient fixed and mobile connectivity for aviation, maritime, enterprise, and defense customers. Telesat is working with several innovative manufacturers to design, built and certify FPAs that reduce terminal Size, Weight, Power and Cost (SWaP-C), further enhancing the Telesat Lightspeed value proposition.
As such, earlier this year we announced a contract award for Intellian to design and manufacture fixed and mobile Ka-band flat panel User Terminals for Telesat Lightspeed, leveraging their evolutionary advancements in Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology.
We also signed a development contract with QEST for a Telesat Lightspeed FPA for inflight connectivity. The QEST-designed FPA is expected to provide high data rates and high reliability with very low power consumption and no active cooling required.
Why installed solutions matter
While FPAs improve mobility and ease of installation, many organizations are investing in installed infrastructure to meet long-term connectivity goals, optimizing their total cost of ownership (TCO). These solutions deliver reliable performance and are built to evolve with LEO, MEO, and GEO networks—protecting your investment and ensuring future flexibility without constant hardware replacement. This diversity in terminal options allows customers to align their connectivity strategy with operational needs — whether prioritizing mobility, scalability, or infrastructure longevity.
We recently announced that Viasat is integrating Telesat Lightspeed into its services portfolio. The Viasat GM-40 aviation antennas that are installed today will be able to access the Telesat Lightspeed network on day one of our service launch.Â
Another example is our expanded agreement with ThinKom Solutions to certify the ThinAir Ka2517 antenna for the Telesat Lightspeed network. This collaboration ensures that any airline using the widely deployed ThinKom Ka-band antenna today can seamlessly access LEO services of the future.
Government engagement: Seamless integration for mission-critical needs
Installed infrastructure offers a dependable foundation for organizations seeking long-term performance and scalability, which is especially critical for government networks, where reliability, security, and interoperability are non-negotiable. These environments demand solutions that can support evolving operational requirements while maintaining consistent performance across diverse satellite constellations and challenging conditions.
Our government-focused initiatives, such as the Telesat Government Solutions demonstrations with ALL.SPACE and AvL Technologies, are paving the way for technical integration and type certification of User Terminals on the Telesat Lightspeed network. This means government agencies can confidently deploy the latest antenna technologies for secure, resilient, and high-performance connectivity.
Flexible, future-proof connectivity
For customers adopting new FPA technologies, the advantage is clear: These antennas deliver not only the performance needed for LEO networks—ultra-low latency, global mobility, and high throughput – but also drive down TCO over time. By choosing advanced Ka-band FPAs, organizations can future-proof their networks and maximize long-term value.
For those with installed infrastructure, operational flexibility is the key benefit: our approach ensures that widely deployed antennas and terminals can be seamlessly upgraded to LEO services. This means customers can adapt quickly to evolving requirements, minimize disruption, and unlock new service options without replacing existing hardware.
For government agencies, our focus is on security and mission-critical reliability. Through collaborative certification and integration, we deliver connectivity solutions that meet the highest standards for security and resilience – today and into the future.
Stay up to date on the latest Telesat Lightspeed developments and terminal collaborations by subscribing to The LEO Link – our quarterly newsletter.
