Page 65 - SAMENA Trends - March-April 2023

SATELLITE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Astrocast and Yahsat's Thuraya Strengthen Collaboration Through a

Strategic Investment in LEO IoT

Astrocast, a leading global nanosatellite
IoT network operator announced that the
company has concluded Heads of Terms
for an investment agreement with Thuraya
Telecommunications Company, the mobile
satellite services subsidiary of the UAE’s
flagship satellite solutions provider, Al Yah
Satellite Communications Company PJSC,
the UAE’s flagship satellite solutions pro- overall IoT market is projected to grow at Through this agreement, we are commit-
vider listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Ex- a CAGR of 22% over the next four years to ted to enabling innovative solutions in the
change. The transaction will be in the form US$ 525 billion and the satellite IoT busi- Maritime, Energy, Logistics, Transportation,
of a convertible loan valued at US$17.5 mil- ness is forecasted to generate cumulative Mining and Agriculture industries,” said
lion and marks Thuraya’s first investment revenues of US$ 6 billion over the same pe- Ali Al Hashemi, Group Chief Executive Of-
in a LEO satellite constellation. As part of riod. The strategic transaction with Astro- ficer of Yahsat. "We are delighted to have
the agreement, both parties will also look to cast represents a compelling opportunity secured this agreement with Thuraya, as
extend a technical cooperation agreement for Thuraya to increase its exposure to a we anticipate their support and expertise
for another four years that was originally fast-growing sector that is still significant- in guaranteeing Astrocast's success in the
entered between Astrocast and Thuraya in ly under-penetrated and has a long runway low-power narrowband IoT market in the
2019. Astrocast operates a leading global for growth. "We look forward to working future. Our partnership with Thuraya has
nanosatellite IoT network with a focus on together with Astrocast to execute this been solid for the past four years, and their
enabling low power wide area connectivity strategic investment which highlights our continuous support is incredibly important
solutions across core industries including continued belief in the outsized impact to us. In addition, collaborating on creating
Transportation & logistics, Oil & Gas, Utili- of the IoT sector for the space and satel- new products and applications and lever-
ties, Mining, Forestry, Agriculture, and Mar- lite industries. We are pleased to further aging the Thuraya distribution network will
itime. The agreement with Astrocast aims strengthen our relationship with Astrocast expedite the expansion of our customer
to strengthen Thuraya’s positioning in the as we mutually explore ways to expand ecosystem," added Fabien Jordan, Founder
IoT market and help expedite the execution our service offering across GEO and LEO & Chief Executive Officer at Astrocast.
of its strategy for satellite-enabled IoT. The assets to unlock greater growth potential.

New Satellite Constellation for Moon-to-Earth Comms to Launch by 2025

With NASA aiming to establish a permanent provide a form of lunar GPS. It would NASA for its historic Apollo missions, is
colony on the Moon with its upcoming essentially allow astronauts to know their also developing a navigation system that
Artemis missions, it will need a robust exact position and the direction back to will track an astronaut's route through
communication network linking it to Earth. base. Lockheed Martin said it will provide the harsh terrain of the lunar south pole,
Lockheed Martin has just announced that the satellites and that Crescent Space's allowing them to pinpoint their location.
it believes it has the solution to NASA's first Parcec nodes should be operational The key difference is that that system
communications requirements with its new by 2025. Improving navigation on the will not rely on satellites. NASA will, of
Parsec Moon-to-Earth satellite network. Moon Crescent Space is looking to secure course, slowly build up to that permanent
The new network is in development by important customers for its network, with presence on the Moon. The space agency
the Lockheed Martin spinoff Crescent CEO Joe Landon, formerly of Lockheed will perform a crewed lunar flyby with its
Space. The Parsec network will utilize a Martin, stating the firm is "well positioned" Artemis II mission next year before aiming
constellation of small lunar satellites to to support NASA's Artemis Moon landings. to finally send humans back to the lunar
provide 24/7 connectivity and navigation The company isn't the only one building a surface with its Artemis III mission in
capabilities for astronauts, their equipment, GPS-like system for the Moon, however. 2025. Artemis III will send the first woman
and mission control on Earth. Lockheed Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd is also and the first person of color to the lunar
Martin explains in a press statement that developing a satnav satellite for the Moon. surface, and it will be the first mission to
the new technology could prove to be Private firm Draper, meanwhile, the first land humans on the Moon since Apollo 17
vital for future lunar explorers as it could company to secure a private contract with in 1972.

65 MARCH-APRIL 2023