Yahsat has partnered with Airbus to develop the next-generation geostationary satellites called Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5. Airbus will reportedly be responsible for designing and constructing these sophisticated satellites, which will replace the outdated satellites Al Yah 1 and Al Yah 2.
(Photo : Pexels/SpaceX )
Construction of Advanced Geostationary Satellites
On Monday, June 10, Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PJSC (Yahsat), the largest supplier of satellite solutions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), announced that it had given Airbus Defence and Space, a leading satellite manufacturer, an agreement to produce its new geostationary telecommunications satellites, Al Yah 4 ("AY4") and Al Yah 5 ("AY5"). During the second quarter of 2023, an Authorization-to-Proceed was signed with Airbus to initiate initial activities regarding the AY4 and AY5 satellite program; a crucial milestone followed the signing ceremony.
Moreover, aside from providing ground control segment components, Airbus will be responsible for designing and manufacturing both AY4 and AY5 satellites from the ground up. It is anticipated that both spacecraft will be launched in 2027 and 2028, respectively, with a design life of fifteen years. According to the corporation, the cost of the purchasing program for AY4 and AY5 will be around Dh3.9 billion or $1.1 billion. This includes the cost of spacecraft, ground section infrastructure, launch, and insurance.
In addition, the platform will reportedly be derived from the Eurostar Neo, characterized by its adaptable payloads and the Eurostar family's robust history. They can also adjust the coverage area, capacity, and frequency 'on the fly' to accommodate changing mission conditions. The flexible multi-band payloads can undergo a complete reconfiguration in orbit.
The AY4 and AY5 satellites will both provide secure communications among the government across a vast geographical area that encompasses the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia. Furthermore, the two new low-Earth orbit satellite platforms will support Yahsat's future goal of offering multi-orbit satellite solutions to its consumers.
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How Airbus Uses AI on Their Projects
Artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly influenced Airbus' remarkable performance for several years. In 2016, the application of AI in OneAtlas made processing high-resolution satellite photos and extracting important information for farmers, insurance companies, and energy corporations possible. Using technologies such as Natural Language Processing (NLP), the Skywise digital platform has been enhancing predictive maintenance and reducing the number of breakdowns of aircraft that are now in operation since 2017.
At first, AI was exclusively employed by data scientists or specialized technologists, yet a shift is taking place. Because of the development of generative artificial intelligence, the technology is now accessible to many individuals. When it comes to efficiency, cost savings, and quality, its application is reaching new heights that have never been seen before. Within less than a year, Airbus has identified 600 use cases, ranging from engineering assistants, contract analytics, recruitment tools, cyber threat and risk analysis, and procurement optimization.
These improvements include improved procedures, enhanced performance of products and services, and enhanced support operations. Accordingly, Gen AI can be utilized in various contexts, including but not limited to the transformation of consumer relations, the automation of ordinary chores, and the establishment of itself as a genuine game changer.
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