Press release
Viasat and Rocket Lab Partner to Showcase On-Demand, Low-Latency Data Relay Services for LEO Satellites
Viasat selected Rocket Lab to support its NASA CSP program demonstrations of multi-band space-relay capabilities CARLSBAD, Calif. & LONG BEACH,
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[{"type":"text","content":"\nViasat selected Rocket Lab to support its NASA CSP program demonstrations of multi-band space-relay capabilities\n\n\n CARLSBAD, Calif. & LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nViasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global leader in satellite communications, today announced it selected Rocket Lab USA, Inc (Nasdaq: RKLB), a leading launch and space systems company, to support Viasat’s hybrid space communications networks demonstrations by producing a spacecraft bus and providing mission operation support. The demonstrations will make evident Viasat’s portfolio of multi-band, space-based relay communication services in support of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) space missions with substantial flexibility in managing data, with lower data latency and higher throughput in real time.\n\n\nThe demonstrations are part of Viasat’s work across two awards, totaling $80 million, under NASA’s Communications Services Project (CSP), which is evaluating commercial satellite communications services and technologies to support NASA near-Earth communications requirements as it sunsets the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS).\n\n\nLEO satellites typically require direct line-of-sight to a ground station to communicate, introducing significant data latency into the mission operations. Viasat’s Ka- and L-band relay solutions are designed to address this challenge with near real-time, low-data latency communications. The Real-Time Space Relay (RTSR) space-qualified Ka-band terminal will use Viasat’s high-capacity Ka-band network of satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO) to enable LEO operators on-demand access to critical mission data. The InCommand system will use Viasat’s global L-band network to provide real-time telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C) operations at any point in the spacecraft’s orbit. Rocket Lab will also provide a new L-band radio for InCommand called Frontier, which will support demonstrations of various TT&C applications.\n\n\nScheduled to launch in early 2026, the demonstration mission will also include direct-to-ground communications through Viasat’s Real-Time Earth (RTE) Ground-Station-as-a-Service for S-, X-, and Ka-bands. All transports will be integrated through Viasat’s Integrated Space Access Network (ISAN) to show the benefits of adaptable transport, giving LEO operators the ability to access data while balancing network ...