Space42 and Viasat on September 15, 2026 signed the binding agreement formally establishing Equatys, a joint venture pooling up to $1 billion in equity to build a 2,800-satellite low Earth orbit constellation for direct-to-device connectivity.
The first satellite venture 'built the way mobile thinks'
Equatys will operate as a shared space and ground infrastructure platform combining more than 100 MHz of globally coordinated Mobile Satellite Services spectrum from both parents, targeting 3GPP-compliant D2D service to unmodified smartphones across more than 400 mobile network operators. "For the first time, the satellite industry is building infrastructure the way the mobile industry thinks: shared, interoperable, standards-based," said Karim Michel Sabbagh, Managing Director of Space42.
A rival to Starlink Direct-to-Cell and AST SpaceMobile
Viasat chairman and CEO Mark Dankberg called the deal "reflective of our collective confidence in the strategic value and long-term financial merits" of pooling infrastructure rather than duplicating it. The JV puts Equatys into direct competition with SpaceX's Starlink Direct-to-Cell service, AST SpaceMobile and Amazon Leo, and gives Space42 — formed from the 2024 Bayanat-Yahsat merger — its most ambitious LEO play to date.
Spectrum, scale and standards
Neither company disclosed individual ownership stakes in the JV or a first-launch date. The venture will build on top of infrastructure Viasat has been assembling with partners including Rocket Lab for GEO satellites and Intelsat for Space Force PTS-G contracts, and complements Space42's regional dominance across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
Reporting based on coverage from SatNews, Viasat, Broadband Breakfast and AGBI.