Boeing will build ViaSat’s next high-throughput bird as the US satellite operator switches suppliers in the wake of its patent infringement dispute with Space Systems Loral (SS/L).
The new Ka-band spacecraft, called ViaSat-2, will double the…
Boeing will build ViaSat’s next high-throughput bird as the US satellite operator switches suppliers in the wake of its patent infringement dispute with Space Systems Loral (SS/L).
The new Ka-band spacecraft, called ViaSat-2, will double the so-called ‘bandwidth economics’ of its ViaSat-1 predecessor when it launches in mid-2016. ViaSat-1, which was built by SS/L, was launched in late 2011 and is capable of providing capacity at more than 100 gigabits per second.
Significant R&D requirements mean the cost of the new satellite will probably work out at more than 40% higher than ViaSat-1, according to ViaSat CEO Mark Dankberg.
However, he said when including other costs, including ground systems, launch and insurance, the increase will be more like 25% on ViaSat-1’s previous overall budget, which was around US$500m. The company expects to shortly release a disclosure on ViaSat-2’s cost, which will be funded out of cash flow from operations and existing credit lines.
Based on the Boeing 702HP satellite bus, Dankberg claimed ViaSat-2 will also provide Ka-band services in a way that has never been seen before. He did not go into technical details, but said it will not use the typical steerable antenna spot beams that are only able to target a relatively small portion of a satellite’s footprint at any one time.
This will enable the group to grow its coverage footprint by seven-fold, expanding across North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and the northern portion of South America. In addition, ViaSat plans to push further into the maritime and in-flight broadband markets by covering key routes across the Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe.
Dankberg said: “ViaSat-2 represents a significant breakthrough in broadband satellite technology – for the very first time combining extremely high bandwidth capacity with very large coverage areas.
“ViaSat-2 will make it possible to offer superior in-flight connectivity on applications ranging from JetBlue leisure flights to the Caribbean to US government aircraft travelling to Europe or Latin America, to critical national and Homeland Security missions. ViaSat-2 will also combine unprecedented capacity and coverage with operational flexibility – solving historically intractable issues in geographical distribution of bandwidth demand, capital investments, and system performance.”
Boeing/ViaSat to jointly market new technology
As well as building the satellite, Boeing has entered into a cooperation agreement with ViaSat to jointly market its technology to other operators.
The deal gives ViaSat more involvement and control over talks to sell similar Ka-band broadband satellites, as in the past manufacturers have typically taken it upon themselves to market the spacecraft.
The operator is still locked in a legal dispute with SS/L over alleged similarities between ViaSat-1 and a satellite it later built for Hughes Network Systems, called Jupiter-1.
SS/L, which recently said it will also build Hughes’ Jupiter-2 high throughput bird, has launched its own legal proceedings against ViaSat, alleging that virtually all of its ground station products and satellite communication services infringe patents belonging to the manufacturer.
ViaSat is seeking different types of damages, including an injunction, which could impact future high-throughput Ka-band satellites. The litigation is thought to be heading for a jury trial in early 2014.
With the legal dispute putting SS/L out of the picture for ViaSat-2, the competition to build the operator’s next satellite became a two-horse race between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, with many expecting the latter to clinch the deal.
Raymond James analyst Chris Quilty said Boeing most likely emerged as the surprise winner because of a combination of price, technology, and a willingness to engage in aftermarket partnering activities.
