Viasat has announced that its solid-state, fully-electronic phased array flat panel antenna has been selected by SES Networks for the O3b mPOWER satellite communications (satcom) system. The O3b mPOWER is one of the industry’s most powerful satellite-based communications system. Viasat's flat panel antenna will be used for a new generation of customer edge terminals for multiple applications on the O3b network.
Viasat's flat panel antenna technology leverages years of commercial innovation and R&D investment. The antenna offers a compact, lightweight solution for fixed and mobile broadband terminals. It is scalable, customizable and will enable SES Networks to target various types of users with different broadband connectivity needs.
Viasat's fully-electronic flat panel antenna has the ability to dynamically steer beams - without any moving parts - and rapidly follow a satellite's position, allowing seamless handover between satellites in a non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit (NGSO) constellation. The antenna also features advancements in spectrum usage; dynamic interference mitigation to and from other satellites; enhanced processing power; and the ability to perform on-the-fly reconfiguration of antenna characteristics to enable end-terminals to support and communicate within a hybrid satcom system of NGSO and Geostationary Satellite (GEO) systems.
The Viasat phased array is based on proprietary flat panel core technology, inclusive of a new RF integrated circuit and a modular approach that enables multiple types of user terminals - from residential broadband and in-flight Wi-Fi to connected car and backhaul applications - to keep pace with growing broadband connectivity demands. The current phased array uses a dual-beam flat panel antenna system operating in the full Ka- frequency band with an ability to be customized for Ku-band applications. The development of the Viasat phased array is in part supported by the European Space Agency (ESA), through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Viasat and ESA announced in November 2017.
