Boeing [NYSE: BA] mission controllers confirmed the second ViaSat‑3 satellite, built on the company's high‑power 702MP+ platform, is healthy on orbit after liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket last night at 10:04 p.m. Eastern Time.
The ViaSat-3 F2 satellite is expected to more than double Viasat's bandwidth capacity, supporting the increasing demand for resilient, global satellite communications from commercial mobility - like in-flight connectivity - and defense customers. Boeing designed and manufactured the platform to host Viasat's flexible payload, pairing Boeing's proven all‑electric propulsion with high‑power Spectrolab solar arrays to support sustained, high‑throughput operations.
After separation in geostationary transfer orbit, Boeing teams in El Segundo, Calif., acquired telemetry and established command links to evaluate spacecraft health and begin subsystem initialization. Over the next several days, mission operations will ready the vehicle for deployments and commence orbit raising to its final geostationary orbital slot (approx. 22,000 mi from Earth's surface), followed by in‑orbit testing and handover to Viasat.
"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, 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 6‑metric‑ton‑class satellite is designed to deliver over 1 terabit per second of total network capacity, enabling reliable broadband connectivity across land, air, and sea.
"The ViaSat‑3 ultra-high-capacity satellites are designed to deliver extensive benefits to our customers, including enhanced network efficiency, performance, coverage, and flexibility," said David Abrahamian, vice president, Space Systems, Viasat. "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."
The Boeing 702 family has supported commercial and government missions for nearly three decades. The enhanced 702MP+ configuration for ViaSat‑3 couples efficient, all‑electric propulsion with advanced power systems to enable the payload's capacity and dynamic beam forming capabilities.
