Telespazio joins Rivada's 600-satellite Outernet programme

Rivada Space Networks says it has secured the backing of Telespazio, the 67/33 joint venture between Leonardo and Thales, for its planned 600-satellite "Outernet" constellation, with the relationship structured through the Italian-French group's Brazilian subsidiary.

Rivada claims the agreement "provides a unique next-generation connectivity network with the necessary security and performance to drive digital innovation and transformation" and that the company "has now lined up over $20 billion of business globally for its unique LEO network".

That backlog figure is a company statement, not an audited result, and it sits alongside a hard commercial fact: despite the funding and forward business Rivada cites, the operator has not yet started building the satellite fleet.

Who is Telespazio Brasil?

Telespazio Brasil S.A. has operated in the country since 1997 and is headquartered in Rio de Janeiro. The company describes itself as a leading provider of satellite communications, earth observation and satellite ground systems services for government and enterprise customers across Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica and Peru.

Its parent, Telespazio, is held 67 per cent by Leonardo and 33 per cent by Thales, giving Rivada's Outernet programme a direct channel into defence-aligned and government customers across much of South and Central America.

What do the executives say?

Marzio Laurenti, CEO of Telespazio Brasil, framed the deal around security and performance rather than capacity alone. He commented: "Rivada is building a uniquely capable LEO constellation with a new level of cybersecurity for the enterprise and government sectors."

He added that "by establishing a highly secure global communications infrastructure in space, the Outernet's fast, seamless and secure connectivity will ramp up network performance and enable true digital transformation and new business opportunities through multi-gigabit bi-directional performance, combined with worldwide reach".

Declan Ganley, CEO of Rivada Space Networks, positioned the partnership as a data-sovereignty play for the Brazilian operator's customer base. "We are delighted to be working with Telespazio to enhance their ability to provide data security and data sovereignty," he said. "The space domain now plays a critical role in securing network infrastructure and addressing rising cybersecurity issues."

Ganley drew a sharp architectural distinction between the Outernet and conventional low-earth-orbit systems. "With the Outernet's unique architecture, satellites become routers in the sky and space now provides secure, high-performance data transport instead of merely providing the last hop to the internet," he said.

"The future is not just more satellites," Ganley continued. "It is true orbital networks that offer more than the 'gap-filler' LEO systems which bridge the last mile between the satellite and the nearest terrestrial gateway. Our unique gateway-free architecture redefines connectivity in terms of security, latency, capacity, efficiency, and coverage."

What happens next?

The immediate deliverables are organisational rather than orbital. Telespazio will join Rivada's Customer Advisory Board, and the two companies will run a series of technical workshops to structure the collaboration and exchange information on the Outernet's capabilities.

What does this change for Rivada?

In practical terms, the agreement adds a Latin American distribution and integration partner with nearly three decades of in-country presence and government relationships. It does not add satellites to orbit, and it does not alter the central question hanging over the programme: when construction of the 600-craft fleet actually begins.

For now, Rivada's progress remains contractual. The company points to more than $20 billion in lined-up business and an advisory-board seat for a major European-Brazilian satellite operator. Hardware, launch contracts and deployment schedules have yet to follow, and until the fleet build starts, the Outernet exists on paper and in workshop agendas rather than in orbit.