CARLSBAD, Calif., May 8, 2024 -- Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global leader in satellite communications, today announced it selected Loft Orbital (Loft) as a partner for its Real-Time Space Relay (RTSR) service. The demonstration is part of Viasat’s work in support of a $53 million award under NASA’s Communications Services Project, which evaluates commercial satellite communications services and technologies to support NASA near-Earth communications requirements as it sunsets the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) system.
The Viasat RTSR service is designed to offer low data latency, enabling continuous connectivity with the low Earth orbit spacecraft requiring near real-time data transfer of time-sensitive mission and telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C) data. As proliferated low Earth orbit constellations continue to emerge, this scalable service will leverage Viasat’s high-throughput geostationary orbit network and tap into its growing ground station network to deliver persistent coverage around the globe.
Viasat’s newly developed space qualified Ka-band space terminal will be integrated on a Loft spacecraft along with multiple commercial payloads. This demonstration mission will show that Viasat’s space-based relay communication services can support NASA and other commercial, scientific and defense missions with high-throughput, on-demand connectivity for downlinking critical mission data, as well as in-orbit spacecraft and payload software capability upgrades.
The mission, which is anticipated to launch in Fall 2025, will also show how the Viasat RTSR service enhances Loft Orbital’s space infrastructure offering with a new real-time connectivity resource available for Loft virtual missions, enabling novel capabilities for customers.
“Viasat is excited to partner with Loft Orbital to showcase our progress under NASA’s Communications Services Project and to highlight the first commercial use of Viasat’s Real-Time Space Relay service. This intersatellite link capability will provide significant value to Loft’s commercial mission, both during and after the demonstration period,” said Michael Maughan, Vice President of Space and Mission Systems, Viasat Government Systems. “The combination of multi-orbit space-relay service through Viasat’s high-capacity network and access to our global ground network will offer NASA and other government customers, as well as commercial providers, greater flexibility in downlinking data to the ground via whichever path is most timely or cost-effective.”
“Loft is proud to partner with Viasat on NASA’s Communications Services Project to provide the infrastructure for this important capability,” said Pierre-Damien Vaujour, CEO of Loft Orbital. “The addition of Viasat’s relay service to our space infrastructure will let our virtual mission customers deploying AI applications have continuous real-time access to their mission for time-critical applications.”
The Communications Services Project is managed by NASA’s Glenn Research center in Cleveland, Ohio, under the direction of NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program.
Visit the Viasat website for more information on Viasat’s intersatellite communication solutions and services.
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About Viasat
Viasat is a global communications company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be connected. With offices in 24 countries around the world, our mission shapes how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world communicate and connect. Viasat is developing the ultimate global communications network to power high-quality, reliable, secure, affordable, fast connections to positively impact people’s lives anywhere they are—on the ground, in the air or at sea, while building a sustainable future in space. In May 2023, Viasat completed its acquisition of Inmarsat, combining the teams, technologies and resources of the two companies to create a new global communications partner. Learn more at www.viasat.com, the Viasat News Room or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X or YouTube.
Copyright © 2024 Viasat, Inc. All rights reserved. Viasat, the Viasat logo and the Viasat Signal are registered trademarks in the U.S. and in other countries of Viasat, Inc. All other product or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.
About Loft Orbital
Loft Orbital builds space infrastructure for a fast and simple path to orbit. While traditional satellite operators build programs that are complex, resource-intensive, and have long lead times, Loft abstracts away these complexities with a turnkey satellite platform. This platform consists of a modular payload integrator, which is then operated by mission-agnostic satellite operations software called Cockpit. This technology enables both commercial and government customers to focus on their mission. Loft Orbital is an international company, with headquarters in San Francisco, California; and offices in Golden, Colorado, and Toulouse, France. Learn more about Loft at www.loftorbital.com.
Viasat, Inc. Contacts
Dan Bleier, Public Relations, Government, +1 (202) 383-5074, daniel.bleier@viasat.com
Lisa Curran/Peter Lopez, Investor Relations, +1 (760) 476-2633, IR@viasat.com
Loft Orbital Contacts
Kati Dahm, Marketing, kati@loftorbital.com
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 statements about the features, expected benefits and performance of Viasat’s Real-Time Space Relay capability and service; the availability and performance of the Viasat high-capacity Ka-band satellite constellation; the features of the Ka-band terminal to enable low Earth orbit operators access to the Viasat high-capacity Ka-band network for data transfer; and the timing of the Loft Orbital mission and in-space demonstrations. 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: 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, technologies not being developed according to anticipated schedules, or that do not perform according to expectations; and increased competition and other factors affecting the government and defense sectors generally. 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.