Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), the prominent satellite solutions provider in the UAE’s Abu Dhabi, has selected SpaceX to launch its advanced new geostationary satellites Al Yah 4 (AY4) and Al Yah 5 (AY5) using SpaceX’s flight-proven Falcon 9 rocket.
Procurement program details
The agreement is an important component of the AY4 and AY5 procurement program, which is expected to cost approximately AED3.9 billion ($1.06 billion). This includes the cost of the spacecraft, ground segment infrastructure, launch, and insurance. This announcement follows the signing of a contract between Yahsat and Airbus to design and build AY4 and AY5 based on the Eurostar Neo platform. Furthermore, this is part of an AED18.7 billion (US$5.1 billion) mandate awarded to Yahsat by the UAE Government in Q3 2023 for the provision of satellite communications capacity and managed services for 17 years, primarily on AY4 and AY5.
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Ali Al Hashemi, group chief executive officer of Yahsat, stated, “We are proud to collaborate with SpaceX on the upcoming Falcon 9 launches of our Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5 satellites.”
Additionally, he noted that, “Through the successful completion of the launch contracts with SpaceX and the recently announced design and manufacturing contract with Airbus, 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 program, as part of its largest ever mandate received from the UAE Government.”
Satellite capabilities and timeline
Both AY4 and AY5 satellites will provide secure governmental communications over a wide geographical area across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia. They are expected to eventually replace the older Al Yah 1 and Al Yah 2 satellites, which were launched in 2011 and 2012, respectively.
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