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takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

Telesat signs New Glenn multi-launch agreement with Blue Origin for LEO missions [spacenews.com]

Canadian fleet operator Telesat has agreed to launch satellites for its future low-Earth-orbit broadband constellation on multiple New Glenn missions, Blue Origin announced Jan. 31.

The agreement, for an unspecified number of launches and satellites, makes Telesat the fifth customer to sign up to use the reusable launcher, which is slated for a maiden flight in 2021.

"Blue Origin's powerful New Glenn rocket is a disruptive force in the launch services market which, in turn, will help Telesat disrupt the economics and performance of global broadband connectivity," Telesat CEO Dan Goldberg said in a news release.

Blue Origin already has eight other New Glenn missions in backlog: one each for Paris-based Eutelsat, Sky Perfect JSAT of Japan and Thai startup Mu Space, plus five launches for low-Earth-orbit megaconstellation company OneWeb.

SpaceX's Starlink [wikipedia.org] constellation would compete with Telesat's low Earth orbit broadband offering. Perhaps that factored into the choice of Blue Origin as launch provider.

New Glenn rocket [wikipedia.org].

Related: Blue Origin to Compete to Launch U.S. Military Payloads [soylentnews.org]
Blue Origin Wins Contract to Supply United Launch Alliance With BE-4 Rocket Engines [soylentnews.org]
The Military Chooses Which Rockets It Wants Built for the Next Decade [soylentnews.org]
Blue Origin Starts Construction of Rocket Engine Factory in Alabama [soylentnews.org]

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