Viasat one of four companies selected by NASA for $4.8B satellite contract – San Diego Union-Tribune

Viasat one of four companies selected by NASA for .8B satellite contract – San Diego Union-Tribune

Viasat one of four companies selected by NASA for $4.8B satellite contract – San Diego Union-Tribune

Author: Natallie Rocha
Published on: 2025-01-24 00:18:25
Source: Technology – San Diego Union-Tribune

Disclaimer:All rights are owned by the respective creators. No copyright infringement is intended.


NASA has selected Carlsbad-based Viasat as one of four satellite communications firms to support its future missions in space and its research on Earth.

The Carlsbad technology firm will employ its network of low Earth orbit satellites and satellites on Earth to help beam data to the ground and vice-versa more efficiently. Viasat has a network footprint across six continents, which will also broaden NASA’s near space network.

Historically, these satellites have been our connection to space, allowing people on the ground to talk to astronauts and receive images of celestial bodies. As for scientific missions, NASA’s near space network supports everything from climate studies to researchers’ long-term exploration of the Moon.

NASA is gradually phasing out its Tracking and Data Relay System, a network of satellites that has been in service since 1983. Across three generations of satellites, this network supports the International Space Station, Hubble Space Telescope and other observation missions. It is expected to be phased out by mid-2030.

In the meantime, NASA is leaning on the innovations and resources of the private sector. Other companies selected for the multi-year contract include Intuitive Machines of Houston, Kongsberg Satellite Services of Norway and SSC Space U.S. Inc. of Horsham, Pa.

The program’s overall contract is worth up to $4.82 billion and over the next five years, Viasat will have a piece of that work. From there, NASA has the option to extend the contract an additional five years.

Kent Leka, vice president and general manager of Antenna Systems at Viasat, said its satellite-to-ground communications network was designed to support “the most critical and data intensive missions in space” through its high throughput, scalable and automated ground service.


Disclaimer: All rights are owned by the respective creators. No copyright infringement is intended.

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