SKY Perfect JSAT and Thales Alenia Space to Build JSAT 32 Satellite

SKY Perfect JSAT in Japan has tasked Thales Alenia Space with the construction of a new satellite to preserve its geostationary services, making it the European supplier's second commercial deal of the year in an increasingly crowded market.

JSAT-32 is due in 2027 to supply Ku and Ka-band broadband and broadcast services over Japan and nearby areas, replacing an aging generation of geostationary satellites in the region, according to Thales Alenia Space's announcement on March 10.

First in the list for this year was the THOR 8 satellite for Space Norway, another geostationary satellite built using the Spacebus 4000B2 platform-a hardware-defined approach intending to optimize certain missions.

While software-defined satellites that enable in-space reconfiguration continue to gain in popularity, hardware-defined models find favor in applications with narrow objectives.

With JSAT-32 is one of four geostationary communications satellites so far planned for commercial sale in the year 2025, it is thereby jostling for an open market with one classified contract for U.S.-based Maxar Space Systems and a small GEO spacecraft for Switzerland's Swissto12.

After the shambolic deliveries of Geostationary-George Sail91924, orders fell to a two-decade low in 2024 with only six being reported, far below the historical average of 15 to 20 each year. With that, this competition from small GEOs, in conjunction with the small GEO manufacturers offering cheaper geo solutions designed for regional demands, continues to reshape this industry.

JSAT-32 weighs about 3.7 tons at launch and will be close to four times bigger than the HummingSat mini-geo. Meanwhile, companies like Astranis focus on building even smaller GEO satellites, further shifting the competitive landscape.