CARLSBAD, Calif., Oct. 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Viasat Inc.,
(Nasdaq: VSAT), a global communications company, announced
today it selected SpaceX to launch one of its ViaSat-3
satellite missions. The Viasat mission is scheduled to
launch in the 2020 - 2022 timeframe from the Launch Complex 39A
(LC-39A) at NASA's Kennedy Space
Center in Florida. This
mission will launch aboard a Falcon Heavy.
Viasat chose the SpaceX Falcon Heavy for its ability to fly a
near direct-injection mission, inserting a ViaSat-3 satellite
extremely close to geostationary orbit—as a result, the spacecraft
can begin in-orbit testing (IOT) quickly after launch, rather than
spending weeks or months performing orbit raising maneuvers. This
is expected to enable Viasat to turn on its ultra-high-speed
broadband service much quicker after launch than is possible with
other launch vehicles.
"Viasat sought a ViaSat-3 launch partner that understood our
unique mission requirements: to safely and quickly bring a ViaSat-3
spacecraft into orbit, to further our goal of delivering terabits
of data from space to meet growing global broadband demand," said
Dave Ryan, president, Space Systems
at Viasat. "We selected SpaceX as they continue to demonstrate
their commitment to advancing space technologies. Their proven
technology is both powerful and efficient enough to thrust a
ViaSat-3 spacecraft close to geostationary orbit."
"There are exciting opportunities for Falcon Heavy in the
market, particularly for customers like Viasat that need
direct-injection extremely close to geostationary orbit," said
SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell. "We look forward to delivering
ViaSat-3 to orbit and helping bring Viasat's latest technology into
service."
The ViaSat-3 class of Ka-band satellites is expected to
provide vastly superior capabilities in terms of service speed and
flexibility for a satellite platform. The first two satellites will
focus on the Americas and on Europe, Middle
East and Africa (EMEA), respectively, with the third
satellite planned for the Asia Pacific (APAC) region,
completing Viasat's global service coverage.
Each ViaSat-3 class satellite is expected to deliver more than
1-Terabit per second of network capacity, and to leverage high
levels of flexibility to dynamically direct capacity to where
customers are located.
Selection of Falcon Heavy for one of the ViaSat-3 launches is
the next step in implementing Viasat's integrated launch
strategy for its ViaSat-3 satellite program, which is designed to
ensure the on-time launch of its spacecraft through launch vehicle
diversity and a systemic, integrated approach to launch planning.
Viasat will announce specific ViaSat-3 mission assignments for
each of its contracted launch vehicles at a later date.
About SpaceX
SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches
advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 by
Elon Musk to revolutionize space
technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on
other planets. Headquartered in Hawthorne, California, SpaceX has more than
6,000 employees nationwide and operates launch facilities at Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station and Kennedy
Space Center in Florida,
and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
About Viasat
Viasat is a global
communications company that believes everyone and everything in the
world can be connected. For more than 30
years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses,
governments and militaries around the world communicate. Today, the
Company is developing the ultimate global communications network to
power high-quality, secure, affordable, fast connections to impact
people's lives anywhere they are—on the ground, in the air or at
sea. To learn more about Viasat, visit: www.viasat.com,
go to Viasat's Corporate Blog, or follow the Company on
social media
at: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or YouTube.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains
forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbors
created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include among
others, statements about the relationship
between Viasat and SpaceX and the benefits of an
integrated launch strategy for the ViaSat-3 constellation; launch
or in-orbit date; the timing of IOT and providing broadband
services; the ViaSat-3 class satellite for APAC, which has yet
to be ordered; and the performance, capabilities and anticipated
benefits of the ViaSat-3 class satellite platform, including
the expected capacity, service, speeds, coverage, flexibility and
other features of the ViaSat-3 constellation. Readers are
cautioned that actual results could differ materially from those
expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that could
cause actual results to differ include: the ability to realize the
anticipated benefits of the ViaSat-3 satellite platform,
unexpected expenses or delays related to the satellite system, the
ability to successfully implement Viasat's business plan
for broadband satellite services on Viasat's anticipated
timeline or at all, including with respect to the ViaSat-3
satellite platform; and risks associated with the construction,
launch and operation of ViaSat-3 and Viasat's other
satellites, including the effect of any anomaly, operational
failure or degradation in satellite performance. In addition,
please refer to the risk factors contained in Viasat's
SEC filings available at www.sec.gov,
including Viasat's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K
and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to
place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak
only as of the date on which they are
made. Viasat undertakes no obligation to update or revise
any forward-looking statements for any reason.
Copyright © 2018 Viasat, Inc. All rights reserved. All other
product or company names mentioned are used for identification
purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective
owners. Viasat is a registered trademark of Viasat,
Inc.
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SOURCE Viasat, Inc.