Press Releases

The Companies will Demonstrate Cloud Processing and Data Operations with Telesat’s LEO Satellite Constellation for the U.S. Air Force

Telesat’s Phase 1 LEO satellite and network emulations will be used in live demos with Ball and General Dynamics for the U.S Air Force’s CASINO Program

BETHESDA, MD, January 14, 2020 – Ball Aerospace and General Dynamics Mission Systems have agreed to collaborate with Telesat in separate demonstrations that will highlight how high-performing commercial satellite systems, such as Telesat LEO, can provide important advantages for the U.S. Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center’s Commercially Augmented Space Inter Networked Operations (CASINO) program.

CASINO is focused on operationalizing Blackjack, a project of DARPA. Blackjack is demonstrating how the military can increase the resilience of its networks by using commercially-derived LEO satellite constellations to disaggregate space-based comms that support DoD missions.

The CASINO program office approached the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) for help to solve the challenges with processing government data that originates on a commercial space bus. DIU facilitated pairing this commercial-defense relationship to solve the problem of data processing and exploitation.

Demonstrations with Ball Aerospace and General Dynamics will consist of:

• Ball Aerospace: Processing, Exploitation and Dissemination Demonstration – Telesat’s Phase 1 LEO satellite will communicate with Ball’s electronically-steered phased array antenna located at a Microsoft data center, as part of Ball Aerospace’s collaboration with Microsoft. Live testing of low-latency, high-speed links downloaded into the Microsoft Azure cloud and processed using Ball algorithms will demonstrate how data streams from an operational LEO can be processed quickly, thereby providing information superiority.

• General Dynamics Mission Systems: Data Operations – DoD data emulations will be combined with Telesat LEO emulations to demonstrate the volume, traffic management and efficiency of handoffs between military satellites and the Telesat LEO constellation.

The U.S. military has shown growing interest in advanced commercial space systems, such as Telesat’s LEO constellation, that can deliver highly secure and reliable broadband anywhere in the world with added benefits of global persistence, ultra-low latency, and rapid technology refresh. A key priority for military planners is having access to a proliferated commercial LEO satellite system that can be far more robust and resilient in the event of attack versus the military’s large, unprotected GEO satellites. This was the rationale for DoD’s DARPA awarding a contract to Telesat that could lead to DoD using Telesat’s LEO system for its global broadband connectivity needs.

“The U.S. Air Force’s CASINO program recognizes that a proliferated commercial LEO satellite constellation can be a core component in the military’s future comms infrastructure,” said Don Brown, General Manager, Government Services at Telesat. “By teaming with technology leaders Ball Aerospace and General Dynamics Mission Systems, Telesat will demonstrate key advantages of its LEO system that DoD requires in its 21^st century networks – faster transport of information with increased resiliency and security.”

“Combining the phased array technology of Ball Aerospace antennas and imagery exploitation algorithms in Azure with Telesat’s Phase 1 LEO satellite, Ball and Telesat will demonstrate advances in communications performance that fulfill the goals of the Air Force CASINO program,” said Steve Smith, vice president and general manager, Systems Engineering Solutions, Ball Aerospace. “The demonstration will show that the technology needed to enable proliferated commercial LEO satellite systems is available and can readily be implemented on a global basis to support the military’s global communications requirements.”

“Telesat and General Dynamics Mission Systems are designing the future of resilient space-based communications. Our emulations for the Air Force’s CASINO program will highlight the increased availability and security that General Dynamics and the Telesat LEO system can deliver to U.S. and NATO missions,” said Manny Mora, vice president and general manager, Space and Intelligence Systems at General Dynamics. “Our goal is to integrate government and commercial networks to create a global, space-based infrastructure that can readily bypass terrestrial networks that are vulnerable to attack and outages. U.S. defense forces and their allies around the world will benefit from being able to communicate and navigate uninterrupted in any operational environment.”

About Telesat

Backed by a legacy of engineering excellence, reliability and industry-leading customer service, Telesat has grown to be one of the largest and most successful global satellite operators. Telesat works collaboratively with its customers to deliver critical connectivity solutions that tackle the world’s most complex communications challenges, providing powerful advantages that improve their operations and drive growth. Telesat LEO, our Low Earth Orbit network scheduled to begin service in 2022, will revolutionize global broadband connectivity by delivering a combination of high capacity, security, resiliency and affordability with ultra-low latency and fiber-like speeds.

Privately held and headquartered in Ottawa, Canada with offices and facilities around the world, Telesat’s principal shareholders are Canada’s Public Sector Pension Investment Board and Loral Space & Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: LORL). For more information, visit www.telesat.com.

About General Dynamics Mission Systems

General Dynamics Mission Systems is a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD). For more information about General Dynamics Mission Systems, please visit gdmissionsystems.com and follow us on Twitter @GDMS.

About Ball Aerospace

Powered by endlessly curious people with an unwavering mission focus, Ball Aerospace pioneers discoveries that enable our customers to perform beyond expectation and protect what matters most. We create innovative space solutions, enable more accurate weather forecasts, drive insightful observations of our planet, deliver actionable data and intelligence, and ensure those who defend our freedom go forward bravely and return home safely. Go Beyond with Ball.® For more information, visit www.ball.com/aerospace or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements Safe Harbor

This news release contains statements that are not based on historical fact and are ”forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this news release, the words “can”, “could”, “lead”, “accelerate” and “will”, or other variations of these words or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Actual results may differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements as a result of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Detailed information about some of the known risks and uncertainties is included in the “Risk Factors” section of Telesat Canada’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 which can be obtained on the SEC website at:  https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1465191/000161577419003425/s115704_20f.htm

Known risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: risks associated with operating satellites and providing satellite services, including satellite construction or launch delays, launch failures, in-orbit failures or impaired satellite performance, the ability to successfully deploy an advanced global LEO satellite constellation, the availability of government and/or other funding for the LEO satellite constellation, volatility in exchange rates and risks associated with domestic and foreign government regulation. The foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive. The information contained in this news release reflects Telesat’s beliefs, assumptions, intentions, plans and expectations as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, Telesat disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise the information herein.

Media contact:

Lynette Simmons
Telesat
+1.613.748.8729