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Space42 bags $5bn contract from UAE government  

By Pramod Kumar
Rendering of Yahsat's Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5 satellites. Space42 will receive AED3.7bn in advanced payments to construct both the satellites Airbus
Rendering of Yahsat's Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5 satellites. Space42 will receive AED3.7bn in advanced payments to construct both the satellites

Space42, a global space technology company based in Abu Dhabi, has signed an AED18.7 billion ($5.1 billion) contract with the UAE government to provide critical, secure satellite communication services for an additional 17 years beyond 2026 until 2043.

Under the contract, the Abu Dhabi-listed company, a subsidiary of UAE company G42, will provide satellite capacity and related managed services with the existing Al Yah 1 and Al Yah 2 satellites in orbit.

This will be supplemented by two new advanced satellites, Al Yah 4 and 5, which are expected to launch in 2027 and 2028, respectively.

The contract will replace the capacity services agreement and managed services mandate, which ends in November and December 2026, respectively.

The new deal combines related operations, maintenance, and technology management services of ground segment satellite systems and terminals currently provided under a separate agreement.

Space42 will receive AED3.7 billion in advanced payments to construct the Al Yah 4 and 5 satellites. These new satellites will provide secure governmental communications across the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia.

Space42 recently contracted Europe’s Airbus to construct the satellites and has selected Elon Musk’s SpaceX to launch them into orbit using the Falcon 9 rocket launch vehicle.

The cost of the Al Yah 4 and 5 development programme, including spacecraft, ground segment infrastructure, launch, and insurance, will be AED3.9 billion.

The company’s AED26 billion backlog of contracted revenues is equivalent to 10 times the last 12-month revenues as of September 30, 2024, providing long-term visibility of future cash flows up to 2043.  

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