New York-headquartered Libra Group has revealed a milestone for its aerospace venture.
Space Leasing International (SLI) has signed a lease agreement with satellite data services provider RBC Signals.
SLI will buy a ground station in Pitea, Sweden, which will be leased to RBC and incorporated into its network of 80-plus antennas around the world.
SLI was formed by George Logothetis’ Libra, which is active in six sectors including aerospace and maritime, last June to tap into the projected $1trn space economy.
It is the first leasing company in the sector. Its original commitment to RBC involved investing in and leasing back 20 ground stations globally.
This included the construction of a station in the geospatially critical Alaskan Arctic, which is vital for polar orbits that monitor climate change.
The new ground stations will be built within the next two years and leased to RBC.
“This agreement is another testament of our commitment to work closely with manufacturers and operators,” said SLI chief executive Alejandro Kerschen.
“Together, we are poised to shape the future of space-based communication and unlock new opportunities for exploration and discovery.”
SLI said it has developed a strong pipeline of transactions in the ground segment and in satellites and in-orbit services.
Privately owned Libra has carried out more than $15bn in international transactions across transport sectors in the past 15 years.
Led by executive chairman Logothetis and CEO Manos Kouligkas, it owns Lomar Shipping.
