New Real-Time Earth Space Relay Service Will
Provide Resilient, Flexible and Scalable Communications Links for
Optimized Data Transfer of LEO Space Missions
CARLSBAD, Calif., April 25,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Viasat
Inc., (NASDAQ: VSAT) a global communications company,
today announced it was selected on April
20th by NASA to support its Communications
Services Project (CSP), which seeks to accelerate the development
of near-Earth communications by partnering with commercial
satellite communications (SATCOM) providers. Aligned to the CSP
objectives, Viasat is developing a space relay capability that
will leverage its upcoming ViaSat-3 global satellite constellation,
with a newly developed terminal that will enable on-demand and
cost-effective communications services for LEO spacecraft anywhere
and at any time in their global orbit.
Many satellites operating in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) routinely
collect data, such as Earth and weather observations, radar
measurements, space situational awareness, and other scientific
data, that must be sent back to Earth in real-time. In choosing how
to transport this data back to Earth for analysis and distribution,
satellite operators often must consider a tradeoff between data
latency, the time between data collection to when it is received
back on Earth, and cost.
Viasat's existing RTE service has already reduced the cost to
satellite operators by not requiring them to build and operate a
costly, global network of ground station antennas to receive data
from the LEO satellite; however, operators must wait until their
satellites fly over a ground station to downlink their data. This
introduces latency that can last from minutes to hours. Viasat's
space relay service will give LEO operators the ability to send
data—in real-time, from any point in LEO orbit—leveraging the
upcoming ViaSat-3 geostationary orbit (GEO) network, which will
include three Terabit-class high-throughput satellites.
Viasat's integrated space relay network will offer the best of
both worlds by providing adaptable transport selection between the
RTE ground network and ViaSat-3. This is expected to greatly reduce
data latency by providing an affordable option for time-critical,
latency-sensitive data transfer, while simultaneously offering
multiple daily opportunities to downlink large amounts of data over
a global ground network at very low cost. The Viasat RTE network
currently operates on five continents, with sites in North America, South
America, Europe,
Australia and Africa.
"Under NASA's CSP program, Viasat will accelerate the deployment
of its space relay services to support commercial and government
NGSO operators, whether their space vehicles' mission is performing
atmospheric analysis or rapidly moving data to support warfighters
at the tactical edge," said Craig
Miller, president of Viasat Government Systems. "The Viasat
space relay service will deliver performance and scale beyond
legacy data relay capabilities by transforming the way data is
moved to and from space vehicles, offering persistent coverage to
large numbers of LEO users simultaneously, with real-time access
virtually anywhere, including the polar regions. The service will
provide operators with the unique flexibility to switch between
space relay and RTE direct-to-Earth depending on what the mission
requires."
Viasat is currently developing a space-qualified Ka-band
terminal to give LEO operators access to the ViaSat-3 network for
data transfer. Additional information on this terminal is available
to operators seeking to evaluate integration on their space
vehicles.
For more information about Viasat's integrated space relay
capability, please visit the Viasat website.
About Viasat
Viasat is a global communications
company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be
connected. For more than 35 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 Statement
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 statements
about the features, expected benefits and performance of Viasat's
multi-orbit satellite relay capability and service; the expected
capacity and other features of the ViaSat-3 satellite
constellation; and the timing of the Ka-band terminal to enable LEO
operators access to the ViaSat-3 network for data transfer. Readers
are cautioned that actual results could differ materially and
adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ include: risks
associated with the construction, launch and operation of
satellites, including the effect of any anomaly, operational
failure or degradation in satellite performance; contractual
problems, product defects, manufacturing issues or delays,
regulatory issues, and technologies that do not perform according
to expectations. 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 © 2022 Viasat, Inc. All rights reserved. Viasat,
the Viasat logo and the Viasat signal are registered trademarks of
Viasat, Inc. All other product or company names mentioned are used
for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their
respective owners.
View original
content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/viasat-selected-to-deliver-real-time-near-earth-communications-for-nasas-communications-services-project-301531604.html
SOURCE Viasat, Inc.