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The UAE-based Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) has launched its Project Sky initiative in a push for greater satellite connectivity, which will target previously unserved communities via multi-orbit satellite constellations.
The public-listed company, a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi state-backed Mubadala Investment Company, said its Direct-2-Device (D2D) strategy will also complement the company’s wider plan to accelerate into emerging sectors with high growth potential.
Project Sky will boost connectivity by directly enabling smartphone users and Internet of Things (IoT) devices across the world to leverage SpaceTech, regardless of location.
In phase one of the project, launching this year, Yahsat plans to offer voice and messaging capabilities before releasing texting and IoT capabilities on smartphones in 2025. The project will use Yahsat’s Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites including T2, T3 and T4, which are expected to be launched later this year.
The Project Sky launch comes two months after Yahsat proposed a merger with Bayanat AI PLC, with the aim to create an AI-powered space technology champion in the MENA region with global reach.
Bayanat and Yahsat will continue to operate independently until regulatory approval is received and the merger is effective, which is expected to take place in mid-2024.
(Writing by Bindu Rai, editing by Seban Scaria)
