The UAE’s largest satellite provider, the Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) has reached an agreement with the American Space X to launch its two geostationary satellites Al Yah 4 (“AY4”) and Al Yah 5 (“AY5”). The deal will see the state-of-the-art communications satellites launched onboard the Space X Falcon 9 rocket in the year 2027 and 2029.
The satellites will provide governmental communications across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia and eventually replace the older Al Yah 1 and Al Yah 2 satellites launched more than a decade ago. “We are proud to collaborate with SpaceX on the upcoming Falcon 9 launches of our AI Yah 4 and AI Yah 5 satellites through the successful completion of the launch contracts with SpaceX, and the recently announced design and manufacturing contract with Airbus,” Ali Al Hashemi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Yahsat, said.
“Yahsat is well placed to pursue the final contract with the UAE Government, the anchor customer of the Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5 programme, as part of its largest ever mandate received in its history from the UAE Government,” Ali Al Hashemi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Yahsat.”
The Falcon 9 rockets have become a sought-out payload space delivery system worldwide, proving increasingly reliable and efficient. Recently, European weather satellite operator Eumetsat shifted the upcoming launch of a weather satellite from the European built Ariane 6 to a Falcon 9, angering some European space officials and adding evidence to the strength of Space X’s offering.
The deal is the latest progression of the Yahsat procurement programme, expected to reach Dh3.1 billion, which last month saw Airbus enlisted as the construction contractor for the project. Airbus will design and build the AY4 and AY5 satellites based on the Eurostar Neo platform, which they say will give the satellites the flexibility to have their software reconfigured while in orbit.
“The Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5 satellites will enable us to provide 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,” Al Hashemi said. The satellite project is part of a larger direction for Yahsat, which is set to merge with Bayanat to form an AI-centred space technology company called Space42 expected to take place at a point later this year, pending regulatory approval, the move made headlines in April.
