Thales Alenia Space (TAS) announced, on 1 December, that it had received an order for a software-defined satellite from Eutelsat. The satellite, known as Flexsat, is being built with an eye to GEO-LEO connectivity ahead of the expected Eutelsat/OneWeb merger. It will be based on the TAS Space Inspire platform and is set to be launched in 2026.
The satellite is expected to be situated over the Americas once launched. From there it will form a component of the soon-to-be combined company’s multi-orbit architecture, specifically over areas with concentrated high demand.