Boeing Ka_band_702HP

Boeing has been awarded a new satellite contract to design and deliver a 702HP high-power spacecraft to ViaSat in 2016.

Viasat, owned by the Swedish media conglomerate Modern Times Group, is a direct broadcast satellite television broadcaster and pay TV operator.

The terms of the contract have not been disclosed.

The ViaSat-2 satellite will provide high-speed satellite broadband services to customers of the ViaSat Exede Internet service, and will also allow the company to cater to its growing mobile broadband businesses.

The companies will also offer the system to other satellite providers.

ViaSat chairman and CEO Mark Dankberg said that ViaSat-2’s architecture significantly increases the capacity of Ka-band satellite communications for customers who require faster data delivery while also providing for an extensive coverage area.

"ViaSat-2’s architecture significantly increases the capacity of Ka-band satellite communications for customers who require faster data delivery while also providing for an extensive coverage area."

"Cooperatively selling the architecture with Boeing will benefit future Boeing satellites through an increase in the mix of capacity and coverage, and we expect it to enable us to further expand the range and capabilities of our broadband services," Dankberg added.

ViaSat-2 will join the existing ViaSat’s three other satellites in orbit. It will enable ViaSat to expand coverage in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and a small part of northern South America.

ViaSat-2 will also benefit from the key transportation routes between the North America and Europe.

Boeing Satellite Systems International chief executive officer Craig Cooning said that this first order from ViaSat follows another commercial satellite contract Boeing received just last week.

"Our product strategy is solid, and industry is responding favorably," Cooning added.

Last week, Boeing secured a contract from Intelsat to build four 702MP satellites, furthering its role as the initial manufacturer of Intelsat’s high-performance satellite fleet, Intelsat EpicNG.

Image: An artist’s rendering of Boeing 702HP satellite which is similar to the ViaSat-2 Ka-band satellite. Photo courtesy of Boeing.

Defence Technology