Jena-Optronik GmbH announced today it has been selected by MDA Space Ltd. (TSX:MDA), a leading provider of advanced technology and services to the rapidly expanding global space industry, as part of the company’s supply chain for MDA AURORA^TM, a game-changing product line driving the transition from analog to digital satellite technology.

Jena-Optronik will supply over 500 ASTRO CL Star sensors, which will be manufactured on a specific High Volume Production line in Jena facilities in Germany.  The ASTRO CL provides full radiation-hardness, real-time lost-in-space acquisition and operation at high rotational rates as well as short-term availability.

The MDA AURORA^TM supply chain will help support product deliveries for anchor customer Telesat’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation Telesat Lightspeed, an innovative, advanced global network that will bring enterprise-class connectivity to customers worldwide.

”We are highly appreciative and humbled to supply star trackers to the MDA Aurora product line, which will take the development of state-of-the-art broadband networks to the next level. The Jena-Optronik team is looking forward to a long-lasting successful collaboration!” Peter Kapell, CEO of Jena-Optronik.

Designed to meet the changing technical and business requirements of the satellite industry, the software-defined MDA AURORA^TM product line provides operators with unparalleled flexibility and functionality, dramatically enhancing constellation performance at reduced cost and time to market.

About MDA Space

Building the space between proven and possible, MDA Space (TSX:MDA) is a trusted mission partner to the global space industry. A robotics, satellite systems and geointelligence pioneer with a 55-year+ story of world firsts and more than 450 missions, MDA Space is a global leader in communications satellites, Earth and space observation, and space exploration and infrastructure. The MDA Space team of more than 3,000 space experts in Canada, the US and the UK has the knowledge and know-how to turn an audacious customer vision into an achievable mission – bringing to bear a one-of-a-kind mix of experience, engineering excellence and wide-eyed wonder that’s been in the company’s DNA since day one. For those who dream big and push boundaries on the ground and in the stars to change the world for the better, we’ll take you there. For more information, visit mda.space.

About Jena-Optronik

For decades now, Jena-Optronik and its teamspace - 250 employees at the Jena site in Germany - is successfully supporting leading-edge space missions. Our work is characterized by high-quality awareness, a huge heritage and continuous innovation. We are very proud to call a wide international spectrum of space companies our customers - agencies, world leading spacecraft manufacturers but also numerous “New Space” customers. Jena-Optronik supports its clients with innovative products on all kinds of missions starting from small satellites up to high technology missions and spacecraft.