[toc]
Abu Dhabi Announces Plans for Dual Communication Satellite Launch
Overview of the Satellite Project
Abu Dhabi is preparing to launch its second communications satellite, Y1B, into orbit next month. This is part of a $1.2 billion ambitious program by the Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), a business unit of Abu Dhabi-owned Mubadala Development Company. Yahsat’s first satellite, Y1A, was launched in 2011.
The new satellites will be designed and built by Airbus based on the Eurostar Neo platform, and will have flexible payloads that can be reconfigured while in orbit to adjust coverage, capacity, and frequency. They will be used to provide secure governmental communications across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia, eventually replacing Yahsat’s existing Al Yah 1 and Al Yah 2 satellites launched in 2011 and 2012.
Technological Advancements and Capabilities
The Y1B satellite weighs over 6,000 kg, features a spacecraft power of 14 kW, and has a 15-year designed lifetime. It is equipped with a commercial multi-beam payload in Ka-band, which will be used to provide a variety of applications, including YahClick, a new affordable satellite broadband service. The satellite will significantly expand Yahsat’s satellite communication capabilities.
Strategic Importance and Objectives
The successful launch of Y1B will be a key milestone in the development of Yahsat and the UAE’s space program. It will provide strategic communications services for both government and commercial customers across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and South West Asia. The UAE’s space program is taking a $1.1 billion leap forward by contracting with Airbus to build two new satellites, AY4 and AY5, which are scheduled for launch in 2027 and 2028.
Timeline and Launch Details
Yahsat had to postpone the launch of the Y1B satellite in February due to technical glitches at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The satellite will now be launched next month using an ILS Proton Breeze M vehicle. The Y1B satellite was air-freighted by the world’s biggest aircraft, the Antonov, from EADS Astrium facilities in Toulouse, France, to the launch site in Kazakhstan.
Partnerships and collaborations
The construction of the Y1B satellite was a collaborative effort between Yahsat, EADS Astrium, and Thales Alenia Space. Yahsat is also in talks with others in the market to partner with it in emerging areas like the Internet of Things, direct-to-device, and earth observation. The company is looking to expand its partnerships and services to offer more to governments beyond the UAE.
