Space42’s Thuraya Expands into South Africa with Commercial Rollout of Thuraya-4
Thuraya, the mobile satellite arm of Space42, has launched commercial operations in South Africa for the first time using its next-generation Thuraya-4 (T4-NGS) satellite.
The rollout will establish nationwide L-band coverage for secure voice and data services, supporting critical sectors including energy, mining, maritime, government, and humanitarian operations. It aligns with South Africa’s Vision 2030 digital inclusion goals by extending connectivity to remote and high-risk regions where terrestrial networks remain limited.
Built on the Airbus Eurostar Neo platform, Thuraya-4 features software-defined architecture that dynamically allocates bandwidth and integrates with terrestrial networks to deliver resilient, low-latency connectivity.
Space42 Chief Commercial Officer Sulaiman Al Ali said South Africa represents “an important addition to Thuraya’s 20-year journey of delivering mobile satellite services across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia.”
The expansion is part of Space42’s broader African strategy, which also includes the Map Africa Initiative with Microsoft and Esri, and connectivity programs in Zimbabwe and Rwanda that leverage satellites and high-altitude platforms to extend broadband access and geospatial intelligence across the continent.