GX10A & 10B

The Arctic Circle is an area where we are seeing rapidly growing connectivity requirements for our government, maritime and aviation customers.

To ensure our broadband network consistently delivers when it matters most, enhancing coverage in the Arctic region all the way down to 65 degrees North will be essential to support scientific research, underpin strategic government action in a new geopolitical landscape, enable new trade routes, and keep passengers and crew connected.

The launch of two high-speed Ka-band payloads into highly elliptical orbit (HEO) is designed to extend our global footprint to meet customer expectations – even if standing on the North Pole.

The Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) is a Space Norway program, managed by its subsidiary HEOSAT. It is the world’s first HEO mission carrying commercial broadband payloads (GX10A & 10B) and the first time the Viasat network will incorporate payloads in this orbit providing dedicated Arctic coverage.

The two satellites, which have been built and tested by Northrup Grumman in Dulles, Virginia, U.S., will also carry payloads for the Norwegian Armed Forces and the U.S Air Force.

The satellites are scheduled to launch with SpaceX on a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The launch is currently slated for mid-July – register above to receive the latest launch updates.

The GX payloads in HEO are designed to seamlessly integrate as part of the wider Global Xpress fleet and is a further example of how we are extending into multi-orbit, cooperative networks to provide our customers with the seamless mobile connectivity they expect across the world.

An additional five Ka-band satellites, Viasat-3 ,F1, F2 and F3, and GX7, 8 and 9, are scheduled to enter service over the coming few years as part of our strategy to further enhance high-speed broadband capacity for our government and commercial mobility customers –– ensuring we can meet customer demand now and well into the future.

The GX payloads will enable continuous, assured communications for tactical and strategic government users operating in the Arctic region, including customers in the U.S., Canada, Scandinavia, and other Arctic regions.

Importantly, these payloads will also provide dedicated Government Ka-band steerable capacity through service beams and high-capacity steerable beams, to meet even the most demanding mission-critical government requirements, in real time.

The GX payloads are also designed to address the needs of merchant fleets, fishing vessels, commercial airlines, and the energy market, where high-speed mobile broadband connectivity is driving both major operational and efficiency improvements, including charting shorter and more sustainable routes, and supporting the introduction of new business models.