Abu Dhabi: Space42, the UAE-based AI-powered SpaceTech company with global reach, has announced the global availability of its next-generation mobile communications satellite, Thuraya-4 (T4-NGS).
The satellite delivers secure, enhanced, and reliable connectivity to over 100 countries across Europe, Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East, with new markets including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, and Zambia.
Thuraya-4 advances Space42’s mission to combine connectivity with intelligence. Building on Thuraya’s 25-year legacy, now part of Space42, the T4-NGS transforms technological infrastructure into a multi-vertical platform that reflects a disciplined approach to strategic growth.
It also carries a 15-year government contract valued at $708 million and serves as the driving platform for Space42’s mobile satellite services business.
Ali Al Hashemi, CEO of Space Services at Space42, said that, “Thuraya-4’s commercial readiness is a major milestone for Space42. It strengthens our Non-Terrestrial Network leadership, showing how we translate long-term vision into global scale and commercial growth.”
“By combining connectivity with next-generation technology, we are building a more adaptable, resilient communications ecosystem that will support customers, partners, and markets for years to come,” Al Hashemi added.
Technological and market impact
Operating on the L-band spectrum, Thuraya-4 ensures uninterrupted performance in demanding environments on land, sea, and air. Across industries, it provides reliable communications for ships crossing the Mediterranean, remote energy operations in Africa, and aviation networks, enabling real-time data transfer and mission-critical coordination where terrestrial networks cannot reach.
Built on the Airbus Eurostar Neo platform and launched in January 2025, Thuraya-4 is among the largest and most advanced mobile communications satellites in orbit. Its 12-meter reflector antenna, onboard processing, and software-defined architecture deliver speeds exceeding 1 Mbps and enable in-orbit reconfiguration through remote software updates.
This flexibility allows Space42 to allocate bandwidth dynamically, configure coverage intelligently, and integrate seamlessly with terrestrial networks. The satellite’s architecture is compatible with IoT and Direct-to-Device connectivity, enabling smartphone and sensor connections without specialized terminals.
Its suite of 16 new Thuraya-4 products includes:
- Land: IP NEO M/C for broadband mobility (Comms on the Pause – COTP); Commander NEO for secure field operations.
- Broadband data: Voyager NEO for broadband mobility (Comms on the Move – COTM).
- Maritime: Orion NEO for offshore operations.
- Airborne: T320, T420, and T220 terminals for fixed-wing, rotary, and UAV-type aircraft.
- Deployable Networks: Mobile Gateway M/C NEO for instant communications anywhere, supported by the IP Handset for compact mobility.
- Beyond Line of Sight: T-TAC tactical transceiver system extending UHF/VHF communications across land, sea, and air environments.
The satellite’s activation follows other milestones in Space42’s growing ecosystem, including the launch of three SAR satellites in its Foresight Earth Observation Constellation, the availability of its geospatial intelligence platform GIQ on Microsoft Azure, and the expansion of satellite manufacturing capacity in the UAE.
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