MDA AURORA is MDA Space's flagship software-defined digital satellite product line, featuring digital beamforming payloads that enable dynamic, in-orbit reconfigurable coverage and bandwidth for large LEO/NGSO communications constellations.
MDA AURORA
MDA AURORA is MDA Space's flagship software-defined digital satellite product line, featuring digital beamforming payloads that enable dynamic, in-orbit reconfigurable coverage and bandwidth for large LEO/NGSO communications constellations.
Description
MDA AURORA is MDA Space's flagship line of software-defined, digitally beamformed satellites, designed to give non-geostationary orbit operators unparalleled flexibility to dynamically adjust coverage, capacity and bandwidth in orbit. The platform uses digital beamforming-enabled, electronically-steered direct radiating arrays with direct RF conversion and native beam-hopping capability compliant with DVB standards. Each satellite carries a scalable regenerative on-board processor with a software-defined packet router. AURORA satellites use FPGA-based chips to reconfigure capability in software rather than fixed hardware, letting operators adapt missions post-launch. MDA Space manufactures AURORA at a high-volume, highly automated facility in Montreal/Quebec using AI-enabled robots, cobots and augmented-reality-assisted assembly, with expanded capacity of up to 400 satellites per year. Flight heritage and contracted programs include Telesat's Lightspeed constellation (198 satellites), Globalstar's next-generation LEO constellation (50+ satellites under a ~US$1.1 billion contract), and EchoStar's direct-to-device LEO constellation (100+ satellites). MDA Space also achieved an industry-first satellite digital beamforming demonstration with AURORA technology in July 2025.
Specifications
| Product type | Software-defined digital communications satellite platform |
|---|---|
| Payload architecture | Digital beamforming-enabled, electronically-steered direct radiating array, Ka-band |
| Beam capability | Multiple simultaneous, electronically steered, dynamically reconfigurable beams with native beam hopping |
| On-board processing | Scalable regenerative on-board processor with software-defined packet router |
| Reconfigurability | FPGA-based software-defined capability allowing in-orbit mission adaptation |
| Manufacturing capacity | Up to 400 satellites per year at Montreal, Quebec facility |
| Flight heritage - Telesat Lightspeed | 198 satellites; PDR completed 2025; launches planned from 2026 |
| Flight heritage - Globalstar | 50+ next-generation LEO satellites |
| Flight heritage - EchoStar D2D | 100+ satellites (up to 200+ with options) |
| Technology milestone | Industry-first satellite digital beamforming demonstration, announced July 2025 |