Viasat confirmed that it won a contract from the U.S. Space Force’s (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC) to build, launch and deliver the first of a proliferated fleet of small, maneuverable GEO satellites under the Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global (PTS-G) program.
Viasat announced that its Space and Mission Systems (SMS) team will produce and deliver a dual-band X/Ka-band mini-GEO, maneuverable satellite, and provide ground stations and operations support. This Swarm 1 Delivery Order award also includes five years of operations and sustainment services for the satellite, inclusive of tracking, telemetry, and command (TT&C), satellite and network operations, and cybersecurity requirements. Viasat’s PTS-G mini-GEO satellite architecture will leverage technology already developed for the ViaSat-3 fleet, allowing for rapid, cost-effective deployment of high-performance and resilient satellite systems that adapt to evolving USSF mission requirements.
The new Swarm 1 Delivery Order contract builds on Viasat’s completion of the Delivery Order 1 (DO1) phase awarded in 2025, where the company successfully matured a system design for a resilient, low size, weight and power (SWaP) GEO satellite and associated ground architecture to dynamically support key hot spot service areas.
“We are excited to partner with the USSF on this foundational work supporting next-generation government space operations, and we look forward to accelerating the Space Force’s vision for employing scalable, dual-use capabilities to create a more agile, cost-effective, and survivable SATCOM architecture,” Craig Miller, President, Viasat Government, said in a statement.
