There are fewer than fifty days until the government-owned company behind the national broadband network will blast the first of two broadband satellites 36,000 kilometres into orbit.

Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who opposed the building of the satellites in Opposition, revealed for the first time on Thursday that the first of the two NBN satellites, dubbed "Sky Muster", would launch on October 1.

An artist's impression of an NBN Co satellite. The first of two will launch from French Guiana later this year. Credit:NBN Co

Turnbull previously opposed them by arguing that existing private satellite companies, such as the now collapsed NewSat, were capable of servicing Australians with their own satellites.

Blasting off from French Guiana, an overseas region of France, the announcement will be welcome news for those on the existing interim satellite service, which has suffered from slow speeds due to congestion.