Satellite Networks

stc Group and Astranis to deploy satellite serving Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabian service provider and digital enabler stc Group, and Astranis, which builds advanced satellites for high orbits, have announced an agreement to deploy a dedicated satellite serving Saudi Arabia.

The satellite, part of Astranis' Block 3 (a mission to deploy dedicated MicroGEO communication satellites) scheduled to launch this year, will expand stc Group’s portfolio of satellite communication services and enhance connectivity across the Kingdom.

As Astranis points out, countries around the world are increasingly investing in dedicated communications infrastructure, prioritising ownership and control over shared capacity. Saudi Arabia's investment, it says, reflects the same shift, with expanded satellite coverage adding a further layer of redundancy alongside the Kingdom's existing fibre network and reinforcing communications infrastructure.

This partnership gives stc Group full authority over payload configuration and coverage, with data remaining in-region under enterprise-grade security. The model complements stc Group's capacity in other orbits, further expanding the reach and resilience of its network. Astranis' satellite offering is built for rapid deployment, providing stc with capacity on a rapid timeline.

This dedicated satellite is part of a broader wave of digital infrastructure investment already underway at stc Group. The company has committed significant investment to a national network agreement, with phase one deployments already underway.

Astranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits. With five satellites on orbit and many more set to launch soon, the company says it is servicing a backlog of more than US$1 billion of commercial contracts.

This is not the only major recent contract for Astranis in the region. In January this year the company announced a strategic agreement for Oman’s first dedicated MicroGEO satellite.  The satellite is also contracted as part of Astranis’ Block 3 launch later this year.

The contract with Astranis is part of a US$200 million investment made by MB Group, a leading Oman-based conglomerate, towards Oman’s Vision 2040 programmes in this sector, which include the dedicated MicroGEO satellite, ground stations, and other infrastructure investments. Astranis’ dedicated network will provide the Sultanate with sovereign control over its digital infrastructure.



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