UAE-headquartered satellite solutions provider Al Yah Satellite (Yahsat) has selected Cobham SATCOM, a provider of satellite communications solutions to the land, aeronautical and maritime industries, to deliver a comprehensive mobile broadband system, including ground infrastructure and products, to operate as part of its next-generation Thuraya 4-NGS system.
Yahsat says that Cobham SATCOM’s expertise and capabilities will further enhance Yahsat’s mobile satellite services (MSS) advanced broadband data services, enabling the Thuraya 4-NGS ground network with 4G and 5G capabilities and features.
Cobham SATCOM’s solutions will also increase connection speeds, enabling integrated end-to-end customer solutions and expanding Thuraya’s ecosystem. The partnership will, Yahsat says, enhance its services to several key customer segments in land, maritime and aeronautical, including military, government and enterprise.
Thuraya 4-NGS, a next-generation L-band mobile communications satellite system scheduled to begin operations in 2024, is planned for launch in the second half of 2023. The award of this contract to Cobham SATCOM reflects its extensive 30-year experience in L-band ground infrastructure.
This is the latest in a number of recent announcements relating to the Thuraya 4-NGS system. Earlier this month Yahsat announced that it had selected SpaceX’s Falcon 9 to launch Thuraya 4-NGS. It has also selected the Spanish group GMV to supply the spacecraft control and flight dynamics systems for Thuraya 4-NGS.
Yahsat says it is seeking to increase its share in the global satellite data services market, which is currently valued at more than $5 billion and is projected to reach more than $19 billion by 2027.
