- Hughes Network Systems, an EchoStar company, has been awarded a five-year, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract by the U.S. Space Force for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite services, valued at up to $900 million.
- The contract allows the U.S. Department of Defense and other federal agencies to access Hughes’ managed LEO services, leveraging capacity on both the OneWeb and EchoStar Lyra™ constellations.
Hughes Clinches U.S. Space Force Contract for Advanced LEO Satellite Services
Germantown, MD, August 22, 2023 – In a significant move that underscores its leadership in satellite communications, Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), a subsidiary of EchoStar (Nasdaq: SATS), announced its latest achievement: a five-year, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract awarded by the U.S. Space Force. This contract, which could be valued at a staggering $900 million, paves the way for the U.S. Department of Defense, other federal entities, and international coalition partners to tap into Hughes’ state-of-the-art, low-latency LEO services. These services will harness the power of two satellite constellations: OneWeb and EchoStar Lyra™.
Dual Solutions for a Connected Future
Leslie Blaker-Glass, Vice President at Hughes, highlighted the company’s unique position in offering dual LEO solutions. She remarked, “As government and defense agencies explore the power and potential of LEO services in delivering capabilities to the warfighter faster and at lower cost, we’re proud to offer not one, but two compelling solutions. Our OneWeb offering – with our low-power, light-weight, flat panel antenna – and our next-generation EchoStar Lyra S-band IoT system position us to deliver customers in the DoD and federal government robust and resilient low-latency connectivity at a competitive price.”
Hughes’ collaboration with OneWeb Technologies Inc., a subsidiary of OneWeb, was previously unveiled, focusing on delivering managed, wideband LEO services to the DoD. With the new IDIQ contract, these services are now more accessible, also being available under the GSA Schedule. Additionally, the IDIQ encompasses narrowband services via the EchoStar Lyra constellation, an innovative system designed by EchoStar, Hughes’ parent company, for Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity. This system is also poised to play a role in the ongoing development of 5G non-terrestrial networks (NTN).
A New Chapter in Satellite Communications
Rick Lober, Vice President and General Manager of the Defense and Government Systems Division at Hughes, emphasized the transformative potential of these LEO capabilities. He stated, “These important LEO capabilities will give the DoD cost-effective solutions and added reliability and resiliency in satellite communications across all domains and we look forward to addressing upcoming requirements for procurement of these services.”
For those keen on delving deeper into Hughes’ offerings tailored for government and defense sectors, more information is available on their official website.
