MDA Space has found a way into Europe’s secure connectivity constellation, as a supplier rather than a member. The Canadian company signed an authorisation to proceed with Thales Alenia Space on October 30, opening work on digital antenna systems destined for IRIS2, the European Union’s sovereign communications program. The document carries a value above $100 million, though the definitive contract covering every part of MDA’s scope has yet to be settled. Both parties point to 66 satellites in the early delivery tranche, with the first group due to lift off in 2029.
What the hardware does
MDA’s share centers on two products for the low-Earth-orbit Layer 1 satellites: AURORA broadband phased array antennas that steer beams digitally, and a controller that runs them. Build and testing will happen at its Montreal plant, set up for high-volume output.
Why a Canadian firm sits inside an EU sovereignty program
The significance reaches past the dollar amount. IRIS2 was created to shift European government and military traffic off networks controlled elsewhere, and its supply chain was meant to stay on the continent. Handing a core payload element to a North American vendor shows how limited Europe’s digital antenna capacity is. Thales, holding 67 percent of Thales Alenia Space, with Leonardo on 33 percent, is prime for that layer.
The ownership shift behind the deal
A shareholder dimension sits underneath. On October 13, CSG disclosed its purchase of a 9.5 percent MDA Space stake, which the industrial and defence group said made it the largest holder at that point. CSG called the move its entry into space, alongside defence and aerospace holdings, and has assembled a core team of senior space and defence professionals. The authorisation contract should reach MDA’s backlog in fiscal 2026’s fourth quarter.
