MDA Space Lands $100 Million Contract for IRIS² Antenna Subsystems

Canadian manufacturer MDA Space will supply digital antenna subsystems for 66 IRIS² Low-Earth Orbit satellites under a new contract with Thales Alenia Space announced Friday. The agreement places MDA inside the supply chain for one of Europe's major connectivity constellation programs.

Eutelsat contracted the LEO component of IRIS² in September, selecting Airbus to build 66 Ka-band satellites, with Thales Alenia Space supplying the payloads. MDA Space said its Aurora direct radiating arrays will serve as key enablers for the program. The 66 satellites will form Layer 1 of the IRIS² LEO component.

Thales issued MDA Space an authorization to proceed valued at more than $100 million Canadian dollars, or about $72 million. MDA will provide its Aurora broadband digital phased array antennas and a digital antenna controller, both of which have digital beamforming capabilities. The Layer 1 satellites are set to launch in 2029. Separately, Aerospacelab is building 264 dual Ku/Ka-band satellite platforms.

MDA Space CEO Mike Greenley called the contract a landmark moment for the company and its Aurora technology. "This critical role reflects the confidence Thales Alenia Space and the European Commission have placed in our ability to offer quickly performing, interoperable connectivity that meets the requirements of the Layer 1 satellites," Greenley said.

Greenley characterized MDA's position as a critical role within the program, pointing to the confidence placed in the company by both Thales Alenia Space and the European Commission. The contract is a concrete supply milestone for the IRIS² constellation as its first layer moves toward assembly.

The Layer 1 satellites are scheduled to launch in 2029, and Aerospacelab's 264 dual-band platforms remain a separate element of the broader IRIS² LEO architecture.