Telebras plans to contract the SGDC-2 satellite in 2027

Brazilian state-run telecom company Telebras outlined its timeline to contract the SGDC-2 geostationary satellite during the Latin American Satellite Congress in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. The company intends to issue a request for proposals and sign the contract during 2027, aiming to start construction between 2028 and 2029. Telebras also concluded a request for information (RFI) with the market on the same day.

Telebras CEO Hermano Albuquerque explained that manufacturing the satellite will take between three and four years, with an additional one to one and a half years needed for launch preparations and orbital positioning. The company estimates a timeline of approximately five years to put the satellite into operation. The SGDC-2 is planned to occupy the 57° West orbital slot, which is currently vacant and reserved for Brazil.

Air Brigadier Sandro Bernardon, head of the Space Operations Center and deputy head of Space Operations, warned at the event that an international filing associated with Telebras for 57° West expires in 2030, while a military filing expires in 2031. He cautioned that delays could permanently forfeit the position over Brazilian territory. Albuquerque stressed that a decision must be taken in 2026 to avoid missing this window.

Telebras currently operates SGDC-1 at 75° West, with an estimated remaining lifespan of five to seven years through approximately 2035. SGDC-2 will handle defense and strategic communications alongside civil services and public policy programs. Albuquerque also noted that a presidential governance decree, aligned with the Ministry of Communications and the Chief of Staff's Office, will soon be published to meet requirements set by the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU).