Australia and New Zealand Expand SouthPAN Program with Viasat through $252m AUD Award for Additional Satellite Services
Geoscience Australia and Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand have expanded the agreement with Viasat for the world class satellite-based augmentation system, SouthPAN
CARLSBAD, Calif., Aug. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Viasat, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global leader in satellite communications, today announced a $252 million AUD award from Geoscience Australia (GA) and Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) to deliver additional satellite services for the region’s world-class Southern Positioning Augmentation Network (SouthPAN). This expands on a previous SouthPAN award for the company and the estimated net incremental value for Viasat from this agreement is $214M AUD.
SouthPAN is a collaborative satellite-based augmentation system developed jointly by Australia and New Zealand. It provides precise positioning and navigation services to support a number of sectors, including aviation, maritime, agriculture, surveying and emergency response.
SouthPAN serves growing end market use cases, including in agriculture to increase productivity through applications like precision spraying, yield mapping, controlled traffic farming, inter-row seeding and livestock management. It is also capable of improving personnel safety on mine and construction sites through smart geo-fencing technologies to accurately identify the location of workers operating vehicles and heavy machinery.
This marks the second such award for the company, after Inmarsat – which has since combined with Viasat – was awarded a contract in May 2023 to deliver a satellite payload for SouthPAN. The new agreement, which amends the previous award and comes under Viasat’s Communication Services segment, covers the continuation of services from Viasat’s existing in-orbit satellites as well as a new payload, marking a significant extension of Viasat’s partnership with both Governments.
“This agreement secures a reliable satellite service and ground infrastructure, delivering precise positioning across Australia and its maritime zones – enabling industries to innovate where accuracy is critical,” said Geoscience Australia’s Chief Executive Officer, Melissa Harris. “From farms to freight, users will be able to access free services that are accurate and timely.”
Todd McDonell, President, Viasat International Government, said: “Viasat is thrilled to expand its support for SouthPAN and enable improved positioning and navigation services across Australia and New Zealand. SouthPAN represents extraordinary potential for the region: It can save lives by enabling precision safety tracking, help farmers improve productivity through automated device tracking, and even support transport management systems of the future.
“We have a long history providing advanced PNT and safety services across the world, so we are of course excited to be expanding this work and collaboration with GA and LINZ.”
SouthPAN is delivered by Geoscience Australia in partnership with Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand, with early services available to both countries since 2022.
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 , , , , , , and .
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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 the development of a second SouthPAN satellite payload and the future availability and performance of Viasat’s satellites. 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 successfully develop, introduce and sell new technologies, products and services; our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of Viasat’s satellites and any future satellite we may construct or acquire; the reliability and/or availability of materials and services required to develop Viasat’s satellites; unexpected expenses related to our satellite projects; 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; 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 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.
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