Promise Ledger
Satellite operator (Lightspeed constellation). These are the dated public commitments by Telesat and its people that we could source to a primary, with what happened.
2 entries: 2 revised.
Plain counts, not a grade or a ranking. A short record is not a complete one. Checked against sources on Sep 26, 2026; scoring rules on the methodology page.
This first release is a selection, and a short record is not a complete record. Each programme milestone enters the ledger at its earliest dated public commitment we can find in a primary source, for governments and companies alike. Later dated commitments for the same milestone are shown on that one entry as a revision chain, oldest first, rather than as separate entries.
Revised · worded as a target
Launch · Telesat
“the first Lightspeed satellites are expected to be launched in approximately two years, with customer beta testing beginning shortly thereafter and commercial services commencing in the second half of 2023”
Said . Source: Telesat Canada (SEC Form 6-K, Exhibit 99.1): Telesat to Redefine Global Broadband Connectivity with Telesat Lightspeed, the World's Most Advanced Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite Network (Feb 9, 2021, paragraph 2)
Context: Release announcing Thales Alenia Space as Lightspeed manufacturer (headline: 'Services Starting in 2023').
Later dated commitments for the same milestone
The counts use the original commitment. The latest date in the chain stands as: pending.
Outcome: On 2026-08-13 CEO Dan Goldberg said Telesat remains on track to commence global commercial service around the end of Q1 2028.
Outcome source: Telesat Corp (SEC Form 6-K, Exhibit 99.1): Telesat Reports Results for the Quarter and Six Months Ended June 30, 2026 (Aug 13, 2026)
Checked against the source on Sep 26, 2026. Also in a topic tracker. Report a correction or send a response to this entry
Revised · worded as a target
Service start · Telesat
“the first Lightspeed satellites are expected to be launched in approximately two years, with customer beta testing beginning shortly thereafter and commercial services commencing in the second half of 2023”
Said . Source: Telesat Canada (SEC Form 6-K, Exhibit 99.1): Telesat to Redefine Global Broadband Connectivity with Telesat Lightspeed, the World's Most Advanced Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite Network (Feb 9, 2021, paragraph 2)
Context: Release announcing Thales Alenia Space as Lightspeed manufacturer (headline: 'Services Starting in 2023').
Later dated commitments for the same milestone
The counts use the original commitment. The latest date in the chain stands as: pending.
Outcome: On 2026-05-05 Telesat said it expects global commercial service to begin around the end of Q1 2028, repeated on 2026-08-13. No Lightspeed service had begun as of 2026-09-26.
Outcome source: Telesat Corp (SEC Form 6-K): Telesat reports results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2026 (Aug 13, 2026)
Checked against the source on Sep 26, 2026. Also in a topic tracker. Report a correction or send a response to this entry
Open data: download the whole ledger (CSV, CC BY 4.0). Cite as “SpaceNexus Promise Ledger” with a link. How entries are scored: methodology. No sponsor, advertiser or partner can add, remove, reorder, annotate or preview an entry, and these pages carry no advertising.
The whole Promise Ledger, with every organisation and person, and the topic trackers.
Week in Space Data, every Friday.