Space42 and Viasat Commit Up to $1 Billion to Equatys Satellite Platform

UAE-based Space42 and U.S. satellite communications company Viasat have signed a binding agreement to establish Equatys, a shared satellite and ground infrastructure platform designed to extend mobile coverage where terrestrial networks are unavailable or limited. The venture will enable mobile operators to provide voice, text and data services directly to smartphones, Internet of Things devices and other terminals using 3GPP non-terrestrial network standards. Space42 and Viasat will each initially contribute $400 million, with Space42 potentially adding $200 million in a future round open to third-party investors, bringing the founders’ combined equity commitment to as much as $1 billion; additional financing may come from outside equity and debt. Viasat is expected to serve as Equatys’ prime technology contractor, while the platform will allow operators to share infrastructure while retaining their spectrum, customers and commercial relationships. The architecture is designed to accommodate as many as 2,800 satellites across 60 orbital planes and three altitude layers, supported by the companies’ relationships with more than 400 mobile operators and access to over 100 MHz of coordinated mobile satellite spectrum.