Projected ViaSat 3 coverage map. Photo: ViaSat

[Via Satellite 12-19-2016] ViaSat and Boeing announced today that Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for the first two ViaSat 3 class satellites was completed on November 16. Concluding PDR is the first critical milestone toward confirming the satellites will satisfy performance specifications and requirements when operating on orbit. Completion of this step allows ViaSat and Boeing to begin detailed design work on each satellite. The first flight hardware is on schedule to arrive in ViaSat’s Tempe, Arizona satellite integration facility in late 2017. The first ViaSat 3 class satellite is expected to launch in 2019.

The ViaSat 3 class of Ka-band satellites is expected to provide unprecedented capabilities in terms of service speed and flexibility. The first two satellites will focus on the Americas and on Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), respectively, with a third satellite planned for the Asia-Pacific region, completing ViaSat’s global service coverage. Each ViaSat 3 class satellite is expected to deliver more than 1 Terabit per second of network capacity, and to leverage high levels of flexibility to dynamically direct capacity to where customers are located.

“The ViaSat 3 class of satellites are the highest power payloads a Boeing-built 702 satellite platform has ever supported, coupled with the efficiency of all-electric propulsion,” said Mark Spiwak, president of Boeing Satellite Systems International.

For each ViaSat 3 class satellite, ViaSat will build the satellite payload, integrate the payload into the Boeing-provided payload module and test the integrated payload. Boeing will provide the scalable 702 satellite platform, system integration and test, launch vehicle integration and mission operations services.