Related: 8 ways that SpaceX has transformed spaceflight Telesat hopes it will be able to test its Lightspeed constellation — an optically linked network that will provide multiple gigabytes per second of data links and broadband connectivity across the globe — by 2027. The company aims to start providing services that same year, after a history of delays experienced by the project. "SpaceX has been a trusted and effective launch provider to Telesat on our geostationary satellite programs, and I am delighted that they will be supporting us with their highly reliable Falcon 9 rocket to deploy the Telesat Lightspeed constellation, the most ambitious program in Telesat's 54-year history," Telesat President and CEO Dan Goldberg said in a statement. The Lightspeed constellation will be populated by around 198 satellites built by international space company MDA, which Telesat ordered in August 2023, Space News reported. The 1,650-pound (750 kilograms) LEO satellites replace a larger version, which was initially set to be built for Telesat by Thales Alenia Space, but production delays forced the switch to MDA, resulting in a $1.6 billion USD contract between Telesat and the Canada-based company. Get the Space.com Newsletter