Press release
Viasat and Blue Origin to Partner on Launch Telemetry Demonstration for NASA Communications Services Project
Viasat will demonstrate its InRange launch telemetry relay solution on Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket on two future missions CARLSBAD, Calif., May 14, 2025
About this update from Viasat, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Viasat will demonstrate its InRange launch telemetry relay solution on Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket on two future missions\nCARLSBAD, Calif., May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global leader in satellite communications (SATCOM), today announced it has selected Blue Origin as its launch mission partner to support Viasat’s demonstration of its InRange launch telemetry relay service as part of its work with NASA’s Communications Services Project (CSP). Viasat’s Space and Mission Systems team, part of the company’s Defense and Advanced Technologies (DAT) segment, will work with Blue Origin across two future launches to integrate the user terminal and InRange solution on the New Glenn launch vehicle to showcase this innovative space-based launch communications capability. Blue Origin successfully launched the first New Glenn rocket on January 16, 2025. By demonstrating the InRange launch service capability with Blue Origin, Viasat will support NASA’s aim to transition orbital communication users from NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) system to commercial SATCOM solutions. NASA announced in November 2024 that no new missions will be onboarded to use TDRS services, which means launch providers will need a commercial SATCOM-based launch telemetry solution. TDRS has long provided launch communications support for U.S. government, commercial sector and other global national space agency missions. Providers globally are now seeking alternative commercial telemetry relay services for their launch missions. In alignment with this, Viasat is also partnering with the NASA Launch Services Program (LSP) team, which has been responsible for collecting TDRS relayed data for launch vehicles and sharing it with launch operators. “We are excited to be working with Blue Origin as our launch partner to showcase our innovative launch telemetry services,” said Susan Miller, President of Viasat Government. “As NASA looks ahead to replacing the TDRS system, commercial capabilities need to deliver greater performance, flexibility and resilience to support future missions.” InRange is designed to provide a constant relay connection to the ground through Viasat’s network, enabling real-time data transmission during launch to support mission operations. The technology uses Viasat’s global L-band satellite network to ...