EchoStar selects MDA as prime contractor for new satellite network.

EchoStar Corporation has selected MDA Space Ltd. as the prime contractor for its new non-terrestrial network (NTN) low Earth orbit (LEO) direct-to-device (D2D) satellite constellation. The estimated total cost of the LEO constellation is $5 billion, increasing EchoStar's total investment in NTN satellite connectivity to over $18 billion since 2012. The constellation will cover all 350 million Americans and over 7 billion additional people globally.

EchoStar Corporation has selected MDA Space Ltd. as the prime contractor for its new non-terrestrial network (NTN) low Earth orbit (LEO) direct-to-device (D2D) satellite constellation. The estimated total cost of the LEO constellation is $5 billion, increasing EchoStar's total investment in NTN satellite connectivity to over $18 billion since 2012. The constellation will cover all 350 million Americans and over 7 billion additional people globally.

The contract, valued at approximately $1.3 billion, includes the design, manufacturing, and testing of over 100 software-defined MDA AURORA™ D2D satellites. The full initial configuration of the system consists of 200 satellites, with future growth to thousands as demand requires. EchoStar's LEO constellation will provide global talk, text, and broadband services directly to standard 5G NTN handheld devices [1].

The new LEO constellation satellites will be designed, manufactured, and tested at the MDA Space satellite facility in Montreal. The constellation will utilize up to 25x20 MHz of AWS-4/S-band 2GHz frequencies and will be fully compliant with the newly created NTN and 3GPP standards, allowing EchoStar to provide messaging, voice, broadband data, and video services upon launch to all devices with the current 3GPP NTN specifications without modifications. Delivery of satellites is planned for 2028 with commercial service starting in 2029 [2].

EchoStar's selection of MDA Space as the prime contractor underscores its commitment to innovation and leadership in the space economy. The collaboration aims to foster U.S. leadership in direct-to-device connectivity and the space economy, providing global connectivity solutions for consumers, enterprises, and governments.

References:
[1] https://about.dish.com/2025-08-01-ECHOSTAR-SELECTS-MDA-SPACE-FOR-WORLDS-FIRST-OPEN-RAN-BROADBAND-NTN-LEO-CONSTELLATION
[2] https://www.marketscreener.com/news/mda-space-selected-by-echostar-for-world-s-first-open-ran-d2d-leo-constellation-ce7c5fd2d180f124