The UAE’s premier provider of satellite solutions, Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PJSC (Yahsat), said today that it has signed a deal with top satellite manufacturer Airbus Defence and Space for the production of its new geostationary telecommunications satellites, Al Yah 4 (“AY4”) and Al Yah 5 (“AY5”). This major move comes after an Authorization-to-Proceed was signed with Airbus in Q2 2023 to start preliminary work on the AY4 and AY5 satellite program.
The AY4 and AY5 satellites, which will be developed by Airbus, will be built on the Eurostar Neo platform and have adaptable payloads in addition to the advantages of the Eurostar family’s long history. The adaptable multi-band payloads have the ability to completely reconfigure while in orbit, changing the coverage area, capacity, and frequency “on the fly” to accommodate changing needs to meet evolving mission scenarios.
The Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia will all be covered by the secure government communications provided by the AY4 and AY5 satellites. Al Yah 1 and Al Yah 2, which were launched in 2011 and 2012, respectively, and were built on an earlier iteration of the Airbus-made Eurostar platform, will eventually be replaced by the new, more sophisticated satellites.
Airbus will contribute components for the ground control segment in addition to designing and building the AY4 and AY5 satellites. The two spacecraft are scheduled for launch in 2027 and 2028, respectively, and will have a 15-year design life.
“Today marks a real milestone with Yahsat selecting our pioneering fully flexible satellite technology,” stated Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus. “We initially worked with Yahsat sixteen years ago, when we introduced the first sovereign communications satellite to the United Arab Emirates. And now, with this deal for two Eurostar Neos, our long-standing partnership is advancing and bolstering Yahsat’s in-orbit capabilities even more.”
“We are delighted to sign this contract with Airbus as part of our continuous efforts to enhance our satellite communications capabilities with the next generation of satellites,” said Yahsat’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Ali Al Hashemi. “This is a critical turning point in Yahsat’s development. The satellites Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5 will allow us to deliver the UAE Government with new cutting-edge solutions. Additionally, the two new LEO satellite platforms will support Yahsat’s future direction of providing multi-orbit satellite solutions to its customers.”
