Telesat now has all financing sources in place to fund its global Lightspeed Ka-band Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation. Management tells Runway Girl Network that the Canadian satellite operator aims to begin satellite launches in “mid-2026” in support of a 2027 go-live date for global services, including for inflight connectivity.

Funding agreements with the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec have been completed to cover the Lightspeed network — including the LEO satellites and launch vehicles needed to deploy them; an integrated terrestrial network of landing stations and worldwide points of presence; and the business and operational support systems for the network.