MDA secures satellite antenna contract

MDA Ltd., a leading provider of technology and services to the global space industry, has been awarded a contract to design, build and supply all of the Ka-band multibeam antennas for the ARSAT-SG1 satellite – on behalf of Argentina’s national telecommunications company.

The ARSAT-SG1 will provide high-speed internet as well as digital video and voice services across the country and to Bolivia, Paraguay and Chile. This is the first contract signed between MDA and ARSAT. MDA is a world leader in providing antennas to the geosynchronous equatorial orbit (GEO), medium earth orbit (MEO), and low earth orbit (LEO) satellite markets.

MDA has been contracted to design, build and supply all of the Ka-band multibeam antennas for the ARSAT-SG1 satellite – on behalf of Argentina’s national telecommunications company. Source: INVAP

“It is a privilege to work with ARSAT to build these antennas that will help bring enhanced digital connectivity to Argentina and neighbouring countries,” said Mike Greenley, CEO of MDA. “This contract is another example of how MDA is leveraging its satellite systems technology and offerings to further expand our global footprint and customer base.”

ARSAT-SG1 is a high throughput full electric geostationary communications satellite. The ARSAT antennas will be built in MDA’s state of the art high volume production facility in Montreal. MDA technology has been integrated into more than 350 satellite missions to date, with more than 2,000 antenna subsystems and 3,000 electronic subsystems on approximately 850 satellites currently in orbit.

State-of-the-art satellite

“We highly value the work being done by MDA in the development of the antennas for our third satellite and are confident that, together with our system integrator INVAP, we will achieve our goals,” said Facundo Leal, president of ARSAT.

“ARSAT selected INVAP S.E. as Satellite Prime Contractor using engineering and technology developed by GSATCOM, a Joint Venture Company formed by INVAP and Turkish Aerospace. We are proud to provide them with its third state-of-the-art satellite and look forward to building our relationship with MDA on this important program,” said INVAP’s CEO Vicente Campenni.

The ARSAT contract was added to MDA’s backlog in Q4 2022. The Ka-band multibeam antennas will be delivered mid-2024.