MDA Space Ltd. (NYSE: MDA) has introduced MDA Aurora Black, a new addition to its MDA Aurora software-defined satellite product line, designed for government and military communications use.

According to a company press release, MDA Aurora Black includes features such as secure end-to-end connectivity, onboard anti-jamming capabilities, resistance to GPS spoofing, and perimeter and proximity sensing. The product is available across the MDA Aurora direct-to-device and broadband product lines.

"Defence organizations are operating in increasingly complex and contested environments where connectivity is mission-critical and threats to it are real," said Mike Greenley, CEO of MDA Space. "MDA Aurora Black is designed to bring the agility of our software-defined satellite product into the defence domain, helping countries maintain tactical and strategic communications that are essential to data-centric operations."

Nathan de Ruiter, Senior Partner at consulting and market intelligence firm Novaspace, cited research showing that 107 proprietary defence satellites were launched globally in 2023, with more than $40 billion in government space defence and security expenditures contracted to industry that year.