Photo: Viasat

Viasat revealed its plans to launch a Real-Time Earth (RTE) facility in Alice Springs, Australia. Viasat has partnered with the Center for Appropriate Technology Ltd (CfAT), an Aboriginal not-for-profit science and technology company based in Alice Springs, which will build and own the facility through its wholly-owned commercial subsidiary CfAT Satellite Enterprises Pty Ltd, and Indigenous Business Australia (IBA), an Australian Commonwealth commercially-focused government authority, which will help finance the project and provide related commercial advice and support.

The Viasat RTE system will be a hybrid space and ground network that is expected to bring affordability and reduced latency to earth observation and remote sensing applications. The Viasat RTE network is typically used by Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite operators to bring end-users — environmental, shipping, oil and gas, government among other industries — access to data on demand without the need to invest in a dedicated antenna system.

Steve Rogers, CEO of CfAT Ltd said, “Working with Viasat and IBA on the development of the RTE facility demonstrates the capacity of CfAT to continue to contribute positively to technology and critical space advancements in outback Australia. The development will provide a positive contribution to the local economy through contract opportunities for local businesses during the facility construction phase, and ongoing employment opportunities for local Aboriginal people once operational—as the CfAT facilities management team will be providing on-going site maintenance.”