Communications & ground segment
Viasat
Carlsbad satellite operator that bought Inmarsat in 2023 and completed its three-satellite ViaSat-3 constellation in 2026, on fiscal 2026 revenue of $4.6 billion.
Viasat is a satellite communications operator founded in May 1986 by Mark Dankberg, Mark Miller and Steve Hart, headquartered in Carlsbad, California, with a second international base in London. It trades on Nasdaq as VSAT, told the Securities and Exchange Commission it employed approximately 7,000 people worldwide at 31 March 2026, and lists roughly 90 offices on its own website, a count it publishes undated. The company moved from a mainly American consumer broadband business to a global one on 30 May 2023, when it closed its acquisition of Inmarsat — a deal valued at $7.3 billion when announced in November 2021 and settled for $551 million in cash plus about 46.36 million Viasat shares, and one that brought 19 satellites across Ka-, L- and S-bands.
The company's flagship programme is ViaSat-3, three geostationary Ka-band satellites each designed for more than 1 Tbps of throughput. It opened badly. ViaSat-3 Americas launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy on 30 April 2023, and on 12 July 2023 Viasat disclosed an unexpected event during deployment of the satellite's reflector, an antenna with a 144-foot wingspan; the shares fell from about $43 to $30 the following day. By 12 October 2023 Viasat said it would recover less than 10% of the satellite's designed throughput, filed a $420 million insurance claim, and ruled out ordering a replacement.
The second and third satellites flew without that fault. ViaSat-3 F2 lifted off on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral on 13 November 2025, and ViaSat-3 F3 followed on a Falcon Heavy from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center on 29 April 2026, separating four hours and 57 minutes into the mission. L3Harris, which supplied the F3 reflector, confirmed on 4 August 2026 that the antenna had deployed. Viasat told investors it expected F3 to enter service over the Asia-Pacific in August or September 2026.
Fiscal 2026 revenue was $4.6 billion, with adjusted EBITDA of $1.55 billion, a record backlog of $4.1 billion and free cash flow of $597 million. Setbacks have not been confined to ViaSat-3. The Airbus-built Inmarsat-6 F2 suffered a power subsystem anomaly during orbit raising that drew a $348 million insurance claim, and on 24 February 2022 the AcidRain wiper malware disabled KA-SAT modems for several thousand customers in Ukraine and tens of thousands more across Europe. Viasat's next constellation is Equatys, a direct-to-device joint venture with Space42 announced in September 2025 that plans up to 2,800 satellites across 60 orbital planes.
What they build and operate
- ViaSat-3 · Constellation · Operational
Three geostationary Ka-band satellites, each designed for more than 1 Tbps: F1 in service since 2024 at a fraction of its designed capacity, F2 launched in November 2025, and F3 launched in April 2026 to cover the Asia-Pacific.[8][6][9] - Global Xpress · Service · Operational
Ka-band mobility broadband service that the company markets alongside its SwiftBroadband, JetXP, Velaris and European Aviation Network brands, according to its own website.[13] - Defense and Advanced Technologies · Programme · Operational
Government and defence segment covering secure communications across multiple domains; it reported revenue of $1.34 billion in fiscal 2026.[12][13] - Home internet · Service · Operational
Consumer satellite broadband, one of six markets the company lists on its own website alongside aviation, maritime, government, enterprise and energy.[13] - Equatys · Constellation · Announced
Direct-to-device joint venture with Space42, announced in September 2025, planning up to 2,800 satellites across 60 orbital planes on harmonised L- and S-band mobile satellite service spectrum.[7]
Milestones
- May 1986
Founded in Carlsbad, California by Mark Dankberg, Mark Miller and Steve Hart.[12] - 24 February 2022
AcidRain wiper malware disabled KA-SAT modems for several thousand customers in Ukraine and tens of thousands more across Europe, and knocked about 5,800 German wind turbines off remote monitoring.[1] - 30 April 2023
ViaSat-3 Americas launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy.[3] - 30 May 2023
Closed the acquisition of Inmarsat for $551 million in cash plus about 46.36 million shares, adding 19 Ka-, L- and S-band satellites.[2] - 12 July 2023
Disclosed an unexpected event during deployment of the ViaSat-3 Americas reflector; the shares fell from about $43 to $30 the next day.[3] - August 2023
Disclosed a power subsystem anomaly during orbit raising on the Airbus-built Inmarsat-6 F2, which Airbus called an unprecedented event.[4] - 12 October 2023
Said it would recover less than 10% of ViaSat-3 Americas throughput, filed insurance claims of $420 million on that satellite and $348 million on Inmarsat-6 F2, and ruled out a replacement.[5] - July 2024
ViaSat-3 Americas entered service, delivering only a fraction of its designed capacity.[12][8] - September 2025
Announced the Equatys direct-to-device joint venture with Space42.[7] - 13 November 2025
ViaSat-3 F2 launched on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral.[6] - 29 April 2026
ViaSat-3 F3 launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center and separated four hours and 57 minutes into the mission.[8][9] - 28 May 2026
Reported fiscal 2026 revenue of $4.6 billion, adjusted EBITDA of $1.55 billion and a record backlog of $4.1 billion.[10] - 04 August 2026
L3Harris confirmed successful in-orbit deployment of its perimeter truss reflector on ViaSat-3 F3.[11]
Facilities
- Corporate headquarters · Carlsbad, California, United States
Viasat's worldwide headquarters, per its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026; the company's own website reports about 90 offices worldwide, a count it publishes undated.[14][13][12] - International headquarters · London, United Kingdom
International base listed by Viasat alongside its Carlsbad worldwide headquarters in its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026.[14][13]
Leadership
- Mark Dankberg
Chairman and chief executive officer (as of 28 May 2026)[10][8][12] - Garrett Chase
Chief financial officer (as of 28 May 2026)[10][12] - Lisa Curran
Chief enterprise and strategy officer (as of 28 May 2026)[10]
Sources
TechCrunchViasat cyberattack blamed on Russian wiper malwaretechcrunch.com
Via SatelliteViasat Closes Inmarsat Acquisitionsatellitetoday.com
Via SatelliteViasat Discloses Anomaly on Viasat-3satellitetoday.com
Via SatelliteInmarsat-6 F2 Satellite Suffers ‘Unprecedented’ Anomalysatellitetoday.com
Via SatelliteViasat to Recover Just 10% of ViaSat-3, No Plans for a Replacement Satellitesatellitetoday.com
United Launch AllianceUnited Launch Alliance Atlas V Launches the ViaSat-3 F2 Satellite, Enhancing the Future of Global Connectivitynewsroom.ulalaunch.com
Via SatelliteEquatys D2D Venture Targets Up to 2,800-Satellite Constellationsatellitetoday.com
Via SatelliteSpaceX Launches Final ViaSat-3 Satellite, Completing Trio of GEO Satellitessatellitetoday.com
ViasatViasat Confirms Successful Launch and Initial Signal Acquisition of ViaSat-3 F3viasat.com
The Motley FoolViasat (VSAT) Q4 2026 Earnings Transcriptfool.com
Via SatelliteL3Harris Confirms Successful Deployment for First Perimeter Truss Reflector on ViaSat-3satellitetoday.com
WikipediaViasat, Inc.en.wikipedia.org
ViasatAbout Viasatviasat.com
ViasatAnnual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026sec.gov
Coverage of Viasat
Uncrewed aviation
Honeywell publishes BVLOS test results for lightweight satcom antenna
Flights at Budkovice Airport linked a drone, Viasat satellite service, Honeywell ground control and Frequentis traffic-management software. The test exercised an end-user communications stack, not a new spacecraft.
Defence satellites
Viasat selects Rocket Lab bus for its first PTS-G satellite
Lightning-GEO supplies the spacecraft platform around Viasat’s X/Ka-band payload. Viasat remains the Space Force prime, and no follow-on satellite order was disclosed.
Update this profile
Work at Viasat or represent it? If something here is wrong or missing, email contact@spaceexploration.news with a public source for the change. Every profile edit is verified before it is published.
Request a profile change