Boeing has delivered a giant ViaSat- satellite, the third in a series (VS-3 F3) that it has built for Viasat, to Florida ready for launch. The satellite is built on Boeing’s 702MP+ platform and will provide connectivity across the Asia-Pacific region.

“ViaSat-3 F3 reflects the strength of Boeing’s 702 family and our long-standing partnership with Viasat,” commented Ryan Reid, president of Boeing Satellite Systems Int. “With this delivery, we’re providing a high-power, flexible platform designed to support Viasat’s next-generation connectivity mission which is proving more valuable every single day. We are thankful for their partnership and trust.”

Following final spacecraft integration, testing and verification at Boeing’s El Segundo, California factory, Boeing officially delivered the satellite to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida where Boeing and Viasat teams will support pre-launch processing and mission preparations ahead of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch. The delivery marks Boeing’s latest major milestone on the ViaSat-3 program and the completion of Boeing’s spacecraft production and integration work for VS‑3 F3.

“The delivery of ViaSat-3 F3 marks an important milestone for the program and for the customers who will rely on it for resilient, secure, flexible and high-performance connectivity across the APAC region,” added Dave Abrahamian, VP/Space Systems, Viasat. “Throughout the ViaSat-3 program, Boeing’s platform performance and mission operations have been essential to achieving these goals for our business and our customers.”

The platform also incorporates all-electric propulsion, building on Boeing’s earlier 702SP heritage while extending that efficiency into the larger 702MP class. To support ViaSat-3’s payload and reflector configuration, Boeing enhanced structural elements and attitude-control performance so the spacecraft can maintain precise pointing despite the size and flexibility of the system.

With VS-3 F1 already providing commercial airline connectivity and VS-3 F2 currently advancing towards entering service over the Americas, VS-3 F3 will extend the constellation’s coverage to the AsiaPacific, enabling expanded connectivity options for customers across the region.

VS-3 F3 is designed to add more than 1Tbps of throughput capacity to the Asia-Pacific region and is estimated to launch and come into service in 2026.

The satellite will be launched by a SpaceX Falcon ‘Heavy’ rocket. The launch vehicle was switched from Ariane 64 to Falcon Heavy due to delays in Ariane 6 development. Launch should happen this April.

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Categories: Articles, Satellite

Tags: Boeing, Viasat