Rivada LEO Constellations Waiver Approved by ITU Board

Ibadan, 6 July 2023. –  Rivada Space Networks has announced that the International Telecommunications Union (ITU)’s Radio Regulations Board has waived the requirement that Rivada put 10% of its constellation into orbit this year.

The ITU waiver process seeks clear evidence of funding, manufacturing, and launch contracts, as well as coordination with other systems. Having reviewed the submission from Liechtenstein’s telecommunications regulator and filing administration (the “Amt für Kommunikation”), the ITU Radio Regulations Board determined that Rivada can proceed to its second deployment milestones of placing 144 satellites (plus 6 in-orbit spares) by June 2026 and a further 144 satellites (plus 6 in-orbit spares) by September of 2026.

Dr. Rainer Schnepfleitner, Director of the AK of Liechtenstein, stated: “The Office for Communications has put its trust in the ITU process and is glad about the positive decision of the RRB. A shortage of launch capacity and delays in technology development have been significant challenges to overcome to deploy these constellations in the necessary timeframe. The perseverance of Rivada and ITU’s positive decision means that the deployment of the constellations can move forward for the benefit of all the stakeholders.”

In addition, Declan Ganley, CEO, Rivada Space Networks, said, “Rivada has the manufacturing and launch contracts in place to complete the constellations and launch 600 satellites by 2028.” Ganley also added: “We are building something unique, which we call the OuterNET: the first truly private global network, on which data travels through space alone and not over terrestrial networks to provide ultra-secure communications anywhere on the globe.”