Viasat, a global leader in satellite communications, announced it has been selected for a prime contract award by the U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command (USSF SSC) for the Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global (PTS-G) program. Viasat is one of five awardees to receive an initial Delivery Order 1 (DO1) contract under what is a large Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract that aims to develop a proliferated, small satellite geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) constellation that will deliver resilience and anti-jam capabilities. The first launch of this PTS-G constellation is projected for 2028 to serve government end-users.
Under this initial award, Viasat’s Space and Mission Systems team within its Defense and Advanced Technologies segment will mature a design for a dual-band X/Ka-band satellite and anchor station architecture, inclusive of tracking, telemetry, and command (TT&C), satellite and network operations, and cybersecurity requirements. This work under the DO1 phase will take place over a 7-month period, culminating in a technical design review and demonstration of this capability. Viasat’s low size, weight, and power (SWaP) GEO satellite will be capable of enhancing end-user speeds and delivering resilient performance.
This technology is crucial for providing secure, reliable and cost-effective communication capabilities to support evolving USSF and U.S. Department of War (DoW) missions. The PTS-G program aligns with the USSF initiative to deploy maneuverable GEO satellites, significantly improving the resilience and agility of military communications. The contract positions Viasat as a potential end-to-end satellite manufacturer for the USSF, further solidifying its role in the development of advanced space communication systems.
