Thales Alenia Space awarded contract by Es’hailSat to build cutting-edge telecommunications satellite in geostationary orbit
Cannes, June 30th, 2026 – Thales Alenia Space, a collaboration between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has announced its recent contract with Es’hailSat, the national satellite operator of Qatar. This agreement focuses on the development of a next-generation software-defined satellite, harnessing the advanced capabilities of the Space INSPIRE (INstant SPace In-orbit REconfiguration) platform.
The satellite, designated Eshail-3/Türksat-Biruni, is set to provide high-speed broadband connectivity across a broad area including Europe, Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East, in partnership with Türksat, the Turkish satellite operator.
© Es’hailSat
In the signing ceremony, notable figures included Mr. Ahmet Hamdi Atalay, CEO of Türksat; H.E. Mr. Essa bin Hilal Al-Kuwari, Chairman of Es’hailSat; H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister & Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar; Mr. Ali Ahmed Al-Kuwari, President & CEO of Es’hailSat; and Mr. Hervé Derrey, CEO of Thales Alenia Space.
The Eshail-3/Türksat-Biruni satellite is designed to utilize Space INSPIRE, which allows for flexible and quick adjustments to broadband connectivity needs in orbit, optimizing satellite resource management. This capability is expected to enable Es’hailSat to improve its communications service offerings throughout the satellite’s operational life.
As the prime contractor, Thales Alenia Space will oversee all aspects of the project, including the design, manufacturing, testing, and ground delivery of the satellite, alongside the development of the ground segment and related services.
“The signing of this contract with Thales Alenia Space marks a defining moment for Es’hailSat and for Qatar’s ambitions as a leading satellite service provider. Eshail-3/Türksat-Biruni will not only expand our coverage and capabilities into new strategic markets, but also strengthen the resilience and independence of Qatar’s communications infrastructure. We look forward to working closely with our industrial partner, Thales Alenia Space, to deliver high-performing communications services to our customers,” stated Mr. Ali Ahmed Al-Kuwari, President and CEO of Es’hailSat.
“I would like to express my gratitude to Es’hailSat for putting its trust in our company,” said Hervé Derrey, President and CEO of Thales Alenia Space. “Today’s contract is significant for Thales Alenia Space as it recognizes our ability to offer an innovative, fully digitalized telecommunications satellite that can be reprogrammed in orbit, along with the capability to integrate hosted payloads serving both commercial and governmental requirements.”
© Es’hailSat
The development of the Space INSPIRE product line:
This innovative product line was developed with contributions from the French space agency CNES and the Programme d’Investissements d’Avenir (PIA). Key components sourced from European companies received support from the European Space Agency (ESA) via two ARTES (Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems) programs. The UK Space Agency also provided assistance for the electrical propulsion module development.
About Thales Alenia Space
Thales Alenia Space combines a wealth of skills, technological proficiency, and industrial capabilities to deliver groundbreaking solutions in telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, defense, exploration, and orbital infrastructure. With 50 years of experience, the company serves governments, institutions, and private entities, providing satellite-based systems that enable connectivity and monitoring of our planet while enhancing resource management. Operating under its Space for Life mission, Thales Alenia Space is dedicated to promoting sustainable living on Earth and beyond. As a joint venture of Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), it collaborates with Telespazio to provide an extensive range of solutions and services. The company reported consolidated revenues of €2.36 billion for 2025, employing over 8,000 personnel across 14 sites in Europe.
Source: Thales Group (2026-06-30 08:00:33)
