Boeing said the second ViaSat-3 satellite has been confirmed healthy on orbit after launching aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket at 10:04 p.m. Eastern Time. Mission controllers established telemetry and command links shortly after spacecraft separation in geostationary transfer orbit, initiating a sequence of subsystem health checks.
Built on Boeing’s high-power 702MP+ platform, the ViaSat-3 F2 satellite is designed to more than double Viasat’s global bandwidth capacity, supporting growing demand for resilient communications from commercial mobility customers and defence users. The spacecraft uses Boeing’s all-electric propulsion system and high-efficiency Spectrolab solar arrays for sustained high-throughput operations.
Teams in El Segundo have begun preparations for payload deployments and orbit-raising maneuvers that will position the satellite in geostationary orbit approximately 35,786 km (22,000 miles) above Earth. After reaching its orbital slot, ViaSat-3 F2 will undergo in-orbit testing before being transferred to Viasat for operational use.
“Our collaboration with Viasat focuses on enabling their impactful mission to connect everyone. We all know how important reliable high-speed connectivity is to our daily lives,” said Michelle Parker, vice president of Boeing Space Mission Systems. “Delivering the second ViaSat-3 satellite demonstrates the strength of our partnership and disciplined mission assurance from design to factory to flight.”
The six-metric-ton spacecraft will provide more than one terabit per second of total network capacity across land, air, and sea. David Abrahamian, vice president of Space Systems at Viasat, said, “The ViaSat-3 ultra-high-capacity satellites are designed to deliver extensive benefits to our customers, including enhanced network efficiency, performance, coverage, and flexibility,” adding, “The successful launch of ViaSat-3 F2 is a milestone in our satellite roadmap and our close collaboration with Boeing is essential to achieving these goals.”
Boeing said its 702 satellite family has supported commercial and government missions for nearly three decades. The upgraded 702MP+ configuration used for ViaSat-3 integrates electric propulsion and advanced power systems to meet the requirements of ultra-high-capacity payloads.
