Viasat Selected for $4.8B Ceiling NASA Near Space Network Services Contract

CARLSBAD, Calif., Jan. 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --  (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global leader in satellite communications, announced today it was selected by NASA to support the agency’s direct-to-Earth (DTE) capabilities via the Near Space Network (NSN) Services contract, part of a five-year multi-award indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract program with an option to extend five years at a total cumulative value of $4.82 billion. Viasat is one of four commercial companies will receive Task Order awards under this initiative. Initially, Viasat will provide global ground segment support services to NASA missions, with the potential to provide additional services in the future.

The NASA NSN Services contract will provide commercial ground and space relay services for future NASA missions from low Earth orbit (LEO) to two million kilometers from Earth. As part of the contract, Viasat’s Defense and Advanced Technologies (DAT) business will join other commercial providers in supplying DTE connectivity to current and planned NASA space missions. In 2023, it satisfies about 36% of its DTE services through commercial providers, leaving significant room to expand with the aim to fully use commercial DTE services for near-space missions.

Viasat will support NASA communications with its global Viasat Real-Time Earth (RTE) Ground-Segment-as-a-Service (GSaaS) network, providing LEO missions with a resilient and high-throughput satellite to ground communications solution. Viasat has teamed with ATLAS Space Operations, leveraging their Freedom Ground Software as a Service and Global Federated Network, and the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) to provide NASA with a modern, highly capable, and geographically diverse satellite ground network. The Viasat RTE network is capable of multi-gigabit per second downlinks over a hybrid network-of-networks with a footprint across six continents, allowing NASA to significantly increase its daily opportunities to downlink information and support the timely delivery of mission critical data. Viasat’s integrated RTE network capability will offer modern ground advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud-based optimization, as well as the benefits of a resilient and scalable ground network solution.

“Viasat is thrilled to be selected by NASA to support NSN Services for critical mission needs,” said Kent Leka, Vice President and General Manager of Antenna Systems at Viasat. “From its inception, the Viasat RTE ground service was designed to be a high throughput, scalable, and automated ground service for supporting the most critical and data intensive missions in space. Through our work with ATLAS Space Operations and the Alaska Satellite Facility, NASA will gain access to a cutting-edge communications solution that improves performance, significantly increases efficiencies over legacy systems, and provides a more cost-effective service for delivering mission data. We are excited to bring these advanced ground services forward to support NASA’s evolving NSN Services requirements.”

The Viasat network includes access to an existing global Ka-band network for remote sensing data, and future enhancements will enable the integration of for L-band and Ka-band. Viasat’s multi-orbit space relay services are separately being demonstrated under the NASA , which supports NASA’s transition from its legacy Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS). In November 2024, the agency that the NSN will no longer onboard new TDRSS users and will support missions either through the network’s existing DTE capabilities or commercial relay services.

The NSN Services contract aligns with NASA’s aim to identify and take advantage of available commercial capabilities to support mission communications and navigation requirements. By integrating additional commercial providers into the NSN, NASA can transport more science, tracking, telemetry and command data to support NASA’s communications requirements for current and future missions.

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About Viasat 

Viasat is a global communications company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be connected. With offices in 24 countries around the world, our mission shapes how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world communicate and connect. Viasat is developing the ultimate global communications network to power high-quality, reliable, secure, affordable, fast connections to positively impact people's lives anywhere they are — on the ground, in the air or at sea — while building a sustainable future in space. In May 2023, Viasat completed its acquisition of Inmarsat, combining the teams, technologies and resources of the two companies to create a new global communications partner. Learn more at , the  or follow us on , , ,  or . 

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Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements that refer to Viasat’s support of NASA’s Near Space Network with Real-Time Earth ground segment services and advanced space relay capabilities; the expected benefits and performance of the Viasat services to support communications for NASA missions; and the potential value of awards under the IDIQ NSN services contract. Readers are cautioned that actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include: risks associated with the construction, launch and operation of satellites, including the effect of any anomaly, operational failure or degradation in satellite performance; our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of satellites and any future satellite we may construct or acquire; changes in relationships with, or the financial condition of, key customers or suppliers; our reliance on a limited number of third parties to manufacture and supply our products; increased competition; the effect of adverse regulatory changes (including changes affecting spectrum availability or permitted uses) on our ability to sell or deploy our products and services; changes in the way others use spectrum; our inability to access additional spectrum, use spectrum for additional purposes, and/or operate satellites at additional orbital locations; competing uses of the same spectrum or orbital locations that we utilize or seek to utilize; and introduction of new technologies and other factors affecting the communications and defense industries generally. In addition, please refer to the risk factors contained in our SEC filings available at , including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason.