What is Viasat?
Viasat Inc. is a US aerospace and defence company headquartered in Carlsbad, California, that designs satellite systems and operates a GEO broadband satellite fleet. Viasat has been one of the most innovative forces in commercial satellite broadband, pioneering the HTS concept with ViaSat-1 (2011, 140 Gbps total throughput — more than all other commercial satellites combined at the time) and continuously pushing capacity boundaries.
Satellite fleet: ViaSat series
ViaSat-1 (2011): 140 Gbps over North America — revolutionary at launch. ViaSat-2 (2017): 300 Gbps, extended coverage to aviation and Central America/Caribbean. ViaSat-3 (2023–ongoing): Three-satellite global constellation, each delivering 1+ Tbps. ViaSat-3 Americas launched April 2023 but experienced a reflector deployment anomaly reducing capacity to approximately 40% of design. ViaSat-3 EMEA launched 2024; ViaSat-3 APAC planned 2025. Despite the ViaSat-3 Americas setback, the company retains its position as a major HTS broadband provider.
Inmarsat acquisition
Viasat's 2023 acquisition of Inmarsat for approximately $7.3 billion added the L-band Global Xpress (GX) Ka-band HTS fleet and the legacy Inmarsat-4 L-band fleet — providing Viasat with genuine global mobile satellite service capability alongside its GEO HTS broadband. The combined company serves major airline and maritime customers globally, competing directly with Starlink's aeronautical and maritime services. Viasat is also a major supplier of tactical and strategic satellite communications for the US government and NATO allies.