ViaSat and Boeing announced that Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for the first two ViaSat-3 class satellites was completed on November 16, 2016. Completing the PDR is the first critical milestone toward confirming the ViaSat-3 satellites will satisfy performance specifications and requirements when operating in orbit. Completion of this step allows ViaSat and Boeing to begin detailed design work on each satellite. The first flight hardware is on schedule to arrive in ViaSat's Tempe, Arizona satellite integration facility in late 2017. The first ViaSat-3 class satellite is expected to launch in 2019.
The ViaSat-3 class of Ka-band satellites is expected to provide unprecedented capabilities in terms of service speed and flexibility. The first two satellites will focus on the Americas and on Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), respectively, with a third satellite planned for the Asia Pacific 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.
The ViaSat-3 platform is the next big step for ViaSat to fulfill its ambition of delivering a global broadband network with enough capacity to deliver more consumer choice with an affordable, high-speed, high-quality internet and video streaming service. The first two satellites will deliver more than twice the total combined network capacity of the approximately 400 commercial communications satellites in space today.
Key Features of the ViaSat-3 Platform:
- Delivering a 100+ Mbps residential internet service, enabling 4K ultra-high definition video streaming.
- Supporting aircrafts with hundreds of Mbps of in-flight connectivity services and video streaming for commercial airlines, business jets, and high-value government transport.
- Providing up to 1 Gbps speeds for use in maritime, oceanic and other corporate enterprise applications such as oil and gas platforms.
- Offering affordable satellite Wi-Fi connectivity to the billions of unconnected people in emerging markets.
For each ViaSat-3 class satellite, ViaSat will build the satellite payload, integrate the payload into the Boeing-provided payload module and test the integrated payload. Boeing will provide the scalable 702 satellite platform, system integration and test, launch vehicle integration and mission operations services.
