Glossary
Satellite & space industry glossary
Short, plain-language definitions of the terms you meet when buying satellite connectivity.
VLEO (Very Low Earth Orbit)
Experimental orbital region below 400 km altitude offering ultra-low latency and superior imaging resolution, but requiring constant propulsion to counteract atmospheric drag and specialised coatings against atomic oxygen corrosion.
VSAT
A two-way satellite ground station with a small dish (0.75–2.4 m diameter) used to provide broadband internet, voice, and data services to remote locations via geostationary satellites, organised in star (hub-spoke) or mesh network topologies.
Very High Throughput Satellite (VHTS)
The next generation beyond HTS, with total capacity exceeding 1 Tbps from a single satellite, achieved through hundreds of narrow spot beams, aggressive frequency reuse, and Q/V-band feeder links — exemplified by ViaSat-3 (1 Tbps+) and Eutelsat Konnect VHTS (500 Gbps).
Viasat
A US satellite operator and technology company known for pioneering HTS GEO broadband (ViaSat-1, -2, -3) and acquiring Inmarsat in 2023 — combining GEO high-capacity broadband with L-band global mobile services to serve consumer, enterprise, aviation, maritime, and government markets.