Rivada Space Networks constellation concept. Photo: Rivada Space Networks

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has granted Rivada Space Networks request to waive the requirement to put 10% of its constellation into orbit this year. 

The decision came from the ITU’s Radio Regulations Board, Rivada announced Wednesday.  The ITU Radio Regulations Board determined that Rivada can proceed to its second deployment milestone to place 144 satellites (plus 6 in-orbit spares) by June 2026, and a further 144 satellites (plus 6 in-orbit spares) by September of 2026.

The ITU said in its decision that Rivada has secured financing from its parent company and there has been “considerable progress” on coordinating with other networks. Rivada Space Networks ordered 300 satellites from TerranOrbital earlier this year in a $2.4 billion deal. Terran Orbital has said the first four satellites will launch in 2025. 

“Rivada has the manufacturing and launch contracts in place to complete the constellations and launch 600 satellites by 2028, within the timeframe allowed by the ITU, said Declan Ganley, CEO of Rivada Space Networks.“We are working very closely with the regulator to make sure that all the conditions attached to these filings are satisfied and to ensure the success of these ground-breaking satellite constellations.”

Ganley called Rivada’s network OuterNET, describing it as “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.”

Rivada Space Networks is using the ITU constellation filings that were originally from a company called Trion Space, through an agreement with a regulatory in Liechtenstein. 

Dr. Rainer Schnepfleitner, director of the Office for Communications for Liechtenstein, applauded the ITU approval. 

“These filings were secured at a very early stage in the development of NGSO constellations for global connectivity and are an important asset – not only for Liechtenstein. A shortage of launch capacity and delays in technology development have been significant challenges to overcome in order to deploy these constellations in the stipulated time frame,” Schnepfleitner said. “The perseverance of Rivada and ITU’s positive decision mean that the deployment of the constellations can move forward for the benefit of all the stakeholders.”