Canadian manufacturer MDA Space will supply digital antenna subsystems for 66 IRIS² Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, under a new contract with Thales Alenia Space announced Friday.
MDA will provide its Aurora broadband digital phased array antennas and digital antenna controller, which have digital beamforming capabilities.
Thales issued MDA Space an authorization to proceed valued at more than $100 million Canadian dollars ($72 million).
Eutelsat contracted the LEO component of IRIS² in September, tapping Airbus to build 66 Ka-band satellites. Thales Alenia Space will supply the playloads. MDA Space said that its Aurora direct radiating arrays (DRA) will be “key enablers” for the program.
These 66 satellites will form Layer 1 of the IRIS² LEO component and are set to be launched in 2029. Separately, Aerospacelab is building 264 dual Ku/Ka-band satellite platforms.
MDA Space CEO Mike Greenley called the contract a “landmark moment” for MDA Space and its Aurora technology.
“This critical role reflects the confidence Thales Alenia Space and the European Commission have placed in our ability to offer quickly performing, interoperable connectivity that meets the requirements of the Layer 1 satellites,” Greenley commented.
