Engineering a platform for what comes next: The technical architecture behind Thuraya-4
Adnan Al Muhairi
CTO of Space Services, Space42
Building a geostationary satellite typically means defining services first, then engineering hardware to deliver them. We reversed that sequence. Thuraya-4 had to support 16 products we hadn’t yet designed. That single requirement drove every technical decision, from spacecraft bus selection to onboard processing architecture.
The solution required rethinking how we architect satellites. Instead of fixed hardware configurations, we needed flexibility. Instead of purpose-built systems, we needed adaptability. The answer was software-defined architecture taken further than we’d attempted before.
The software-defined solution
We chose Airbus Defense and Space’s Eurostar Neo as our foundation. The all-electric architecture provides power efficiency and extended operational life, but the critical decision was committing to a fully software-defined payload. Signals route through virtualized network functions running on onboard processors. The satellite reconfigures coverage, allocates power, and optimizes modulation schemes through software updates rather than physical modification modifications.
This architecture delivers three core capabilities. The 12-meter antenna system, the largest L-Band feed system Airbus Defense and Space has deployed to date, works with onboard processing to steer beams dynamically based on real-time demand patterns. Adaptive modulation automatically adjusts transmission parameters to maintain quality of service across varying atmospheric and geographic conditions. Carrier aggregation across 3,200 channels enables dynamic power allocation, distributing capacity based on traffic patterns rather than static frequency plans.
The tradeoff is system complexity. Software-defined architecture requires sophisticated ground control systems and careful orchestration of virtualized functions. We accepted that complexity because it allows the satellite to evolve with emerging standards and customer requirements throughout its operational lifetime.
Integration architecture
The value of a software-defined satellite depends on how it connects with terrestrial systems, cloud infrastructure, and edge computing environments.
Thuraya-4 integrates with virtualized network functions that enable seamless handoffs between satellite and terrestrial networks. The onboard processing capabilities support edge computing by moving computational tasks closer to data sources, reducing latency for time-sensitive applications. We designed native compatibility with emerging 3GPP non-terrestrial network standards. As those standards mature, the satellite’s architecture allows us to implement new protocols through updates rather than hardware replacements.
This approach directly enables Space42’s broader Non-Terrestrial Network strategy, including Equatys, our Direct-to-Device satellite network in partnership with Viasat.
Performance metrics
Thuraya-4 transitioned from launch to operational status in eight months. The system now delivers
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L-Band speeds exceeding 1 Mbps consistently across coverage spanning Europe, Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Advanced signal processing achieves these data rates while maintaining service quality under varying conditions
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All 3,200 channels are operational with dynamic power allocation optimizing capacity distribution based on real-time demand. The satellite demonstrates the ability to shift resources where they deliver the most value
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Zero critical anomalies occurred during commissioning. Seamless integration with the existing Thuraya constellation maintained service continuity throughout the transition, with minimal customer impact during handover
These results confirm the engineering approach: software-defined architecture delivers both flexibility and reliability at geostationary scale
The platform in practice
The first commercial products running on Thuraya-4 connect emergency responders in crisis zones, maritime operations across oceans, and IoT devices in remote locations. The infrastructure now supports these initial services while creating the foundation for the remaining products from our original 16 through shared resources.
This is the economic shift that matters. Instead of designing and deploying separate satellites for different missions, we engineer shared infrastructure that enables multiple applications. Deploy new services through software rather than launching new hardware, and the economics and timelines change fundamentally.
The technical foundation supports both current operations and future capabilities we’re still defining. As space infrastructure becomes increasingly interconnected, Thuraya-4 demonstrates how platform-based architecture scales, how integration models enable convergence of space-based and terrestrial networks, and how software-defined systems adapt to requirements that emerge after launch.
Thuraya-4 is operational, delivering the services we planned for and creating possibilities we’re still discovering.