Viasat has announced that the second satellite in the upcoming Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission has completed thermal vacuum testing at Northrop Grumman’s site in Dulles, Virginia. The project looks to connect the Arctic region with high-speed broadband in the second half of 2024.
The mission, led by the Space Norway subsidiary Heosat, will see two satellites deployed in a highly elliptical orbit (HEO). The two satellites – ASBM-1 and ASBM-2 – will host Viasat’s GX-10a and GX-10b Ka-band payloads, extending the company’s high-speed global network across the Arctic region.
The spacecraft are designed to integrate as part of Viasat’s wider satellite fleet and extend the coverage of its Ka-band network beyond that available from geostationary satellites. The payloads will be Viasat’s first in non-geostationary orbit and will become a key element of its co-operative hybrid network. Once launched, these new payloads will increase Viasat’s fleet size to 20, with an additional eight under development.
Viasat said the Arctic has rapidly growing connectivity needs to serve governments, shipping companies, commercial airlines and scientists. In October 2023, the UK Government’s Environmental Audit Committee called for a greater political focus on the region and further research into the potential for environmental and economic impacts of changing weather patterns. Alongside GX10a and b, the spacecraft will host payloads for the Norwegian Armed Forces and the US Space Force.
“We have been talking with our customers, partners and shareholders about how the combination with Inmarsat has given us a new scale and scope to deliver new solutions to meet our customers’ requirements,” said Mark Dickinson, head of space systems, Viasat. “This is an example of what that means in practice. The investment we’ve made in our network is creating the flexibility, coverage and interoperability to meaningfully connect the world wherever and whenever our customers need it – even if they happen to be standing on the North Pole.”
“With both satellites through the thermal vacuum test we are really closing in on making this strategically important capability real,” said Kjell-Ove Skare, Space Norway programme director. “We have seen an unprecedented collaborative effort with Viasat, the US Space Force, our Norwegian Armed Forces and with Northrop Grumman, and are all looking forward to providing the first dedicated broadband services to users in the real Arctic.”
The ASBM-1 and ASBM-2 spacecraft will now undergo final testing and readiness activities. Once complete, the plan is for them to be transferred to Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and launched together on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in mid-2024.
