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Viasat Selected for $4.8B Ceiling NASA Near Space Network Services Contract

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Viasat (NASDAQ: VSAT) has been selected by NASA as one of four commercial companies to support the Near Space Network (NSN) Services contract, a five-year IDIQ program with a potential five-year extension and total value of $4.82 billion.

Initially, Viasat will provide global ground segment support services through its Real-Time Earth (RTE) Ground-Segment-as-a-Service network, offering multi-gigabit per second downlinks across six continents. The company has partnered with ATLAS Space Operations and Alaska Satellite Facility to deliver a modern satellite ground network.

The contract aims to provide commercial ground and space relay services for NASA missions from low Earth orbit to two million kilometers from Earth. Currently, NASA uses commercial providers for about 36% of its direct-to-Earth services, indicating significant growth potential. The contract aligns with NASA's strategy to leverage commercial capabilities for mission communications and navigation requirements.

Viasat (NASDAQ: VSAT) è stata selezionata dalla NASA come una delle quattro aziende commerciali per supportare il contratto dei servizi della Near Space Network (NSN), un programma IDIQ di cinque anni con un'estensione potenziale di cinque anni e un valore totale di 4,82 miliardi di dollari.

Inizialmente, Viasat fornirà servizi di supporto al segmento di terra globale attraverso la sua rete Real-Time Earth (RTE) Ground-Segment-as-a-Service, offrendo collegamenti in downlink a più gigabit al secondo su sei continenti. L'azienda ha collaborato con ATLAS Space Operations e Alaska Satellite Facility per fornire una moderna rete di terra satellitare.

Il contratto mira a fornire servizi commerciali di relay terrestre e spaziale per le missioni NASA, da un'orbita terrestre bassa fino a due milioni di chilometri dalla Terra. Attualmente, la NASA utilizza fornitori commerciali per circa il 36% dei suoi servizi diretti verso la Terra, indicando un notevole potenziale di crescita. Il contratto si allinea con la strategia della NASA di sfruttare le capacità commerciali per le comunicazioni e i requisiti di navigazione delle missioni.

Viasat (NASDAQ: VSAT) ha sido seleccionada por la NASA como una de las cuatro empresas comerciales para apoyar el contrato de servicios de la Near Space Network (NSN), un programa IDIQ de cinco años con una posible extensión de cinco años y un valor total de 4,82 mil millones de dólares.

Inicialmente, Viasat proporcionará servicios de soporte al segmento terrestre global a través de su red Real-Time Earth (RTE) Ground-Segment-as-a-Service, ofreciendo enlaces de bajada de múltiples gigabits por segundo en seis continentes. La empresa se ha asociado con ATLAS Space Operations y Alaska Satellite Facility para entregar una moderna red de tierra satelital.

El contrato tiene como objetivo proporcionar servicios comerciales de relevo terrestre y espacial para las misiones de la NASA, desde la órbita terrestre baja hasta dos millones de kilómetros de la Tierra. Actualmente, la NASA utiliza proveedores comerciales para aproximadamente el 36% de sus servicios directos a la Tierra, lo que indica un gran potencial de crecimiento. El contrato se alinea con la estrategia de la NASA de aprovechar las capacidades comerciales para las comunicaciones y los requisitos de navegación de las misiones.

Viasat (NASDAQ: VSAT)는 NASA에 의해 상업 회사 네 곳 중 하나로 선택되어 Near Space Network (NSN) 서비스 계약을 지원하게 되었습니다. 이는 5년 IDIQ 프로그램으로, 5년의 추가 연장이 가능하며 총 가치가 48억 2천만 달러에 이릅니다.

Viasat는 초기 단계에서 전체 지상Segment 지원 서비스로 Real-Time Earth (RTE) Ground-Segment-as-a-Service 네트워크를 통해 6개 대륙에서 멀티 기가비트의 다운링크를 제공할 예정입니다. 이 회사는 현대적인 위성 지상 네트워크를 제공하기 위해 ATLAS Space Operations 및 Alaska Satellite Facility와 협력했습니다.

이 계약은 NASA 미션을 위한 상업적인 지상 및 우주 중계 서비스를 제공하는 것을 목표로 하며, 저 지구 궤도에서 지구로부터 200만 킬로미터까지의 범위를 다룹니다. 현재 NASA는 지구로의 직접 서비스의 약 36%를 상업 제공업체를 통해 이용하고 있으며, 이는 상당한 성장 잠재력을 나타냅니다. 이 계약은 임무 통신 및 탐색 요구 사항을 위해 상업적 능력을 활용하겠다는 NASA의 전략과 일치합니다.

Viasat (NASDAQ: VSAT) a été sélectionnée par la NASA comme l'une des quatre entreprises commerciales pour soutenir le contrat des services de la Near Space Network (NSN), un programme IDIQ de cinq ans avec une extension potentielle de cinq ans et une valeur totale de 4,82 milliards de dollars.

Au départ, Viasat fournira des services d'assistance au segment terrestre mondial via son réseau Real-Time Earth (RTE) Ground-Segment-as-a-Service, offrant des liaisons descendantes multi-gigabits par seconde sur six continents. La société s'est associée à ATLAS Space Operations et à Alaska Satellite Facility pour fournir un réseau terrestre satellite moderne.

Le contrat vise à fournir des services commerciaux de relais terrestre et spatial pour les missions de la NASA, depuis l'orbite terrestre basse jusqu'à deux millions de kilomètres de la Terre. Actuellement, la NASA utilise des fournisseurs commerciaux pour environ 36 % de ses services directs vers la Terre, ce qui indique un potentiel de croissance significatif. Le contrat s'aligne avec la stratégie de la NASA d'exploiter les capacités commerciales pour les communications et les exigences de navigation des missions.

Viasat (NASDAQ: VSAT) wurde von der NASA als eines von vier kommerziellen Unternehmen ausgewählt, um den Vertrag über die Dienste des Near Space Network (NSN) zu unterstützen, ein fünfjähriges IDIQ-Programm mit einer möglichen fünfjährigen Verlängerung und einem Gesamtwert von 4,82 Milliarden US-Dollar.

In der Anfangsphase wird Viasat globale Bodensegment-Supportdienste über sein Netzwerk Real-Time Earth (RTE) Ground-Segment-as-a-Service bereitstellen, das multimodale Gigabit-Datenübertragungen auf six Kontinenten ermöglicht. Das Unternehmen hat sich mit ATLAS Space Operations und Alaska Satellite Facility zusammengeschlossen, um ein modernes Satelliten-Boden-Netzwerk zu liefern.

Der Vertrag zielt darauf ab, kommerzielle Boden- und Raumrelaydienste für NASA-Missionen von der niedrigen Erdumlaufbahn bis zu zwei Millionen Kilometer von der Erde zu bieten. Derzeit nutzt die NASA kommerzielle Anbieter für etwa 36 % ihrer direkten Erd-Dienste, was auf ein erhebliches Wachstumspotential hinweist. Der Vertrag entspricht der Strategie der NASA, kommerzielle Fähigkeiten für die Kommunikations- und Navigationsanforderungen der Missionen zu nutzen.

Positive
  • Selected as one of four companies for NASA's $4.82B ceiling contract
  • Global presence across six continents with multi-gigabit per second downlink capabilities
  • Significant growth potential as NASA currently only uses 36% commercial providers
  • Strategic partnerships with ATLAS Space Operations and Alaska Satellite Facility
Negative
  • Initial scope to ground segment support services
  • Contract value shared among four companies

Insights

The $4.82 billion NASA NSN Services contract represents a pivotal shift in space communications infrastructure and a significant revenue opportunity for Viasat. The contract's structure, allowing for task orders across a 5-year period with a 5-year extension option, provides substantial long-term revenue visibility. Viasat's Real-Time Earth network offers important technological advantages with multi-gigabit downlink capabilities and presence across six continents. The current 36% commercial utilization rate for NASA's direct-to-Earth services indicates massive growth potential as NASA transitions away from legacy systems.

The integration with ATLAS Space Operations and Alaska Satellite Facility creates a robust network-of-networks architecture, positioning Viasat competitively among the four selected providers. The company's Ka-band network capabilities and planned L-band expansions align perfectly with NASA's modernization objectives. For a company with a market cap of $1.14 billion, securing a position in a contract ceiling of $4.82 billion represents a transformative opportunity for revenue growth and market position enhancement.

The IDIQ contract structure requires careful analysis beyond the headline $4.82 billion ceiling. While impressive, this figure is shared among four contractors and actual revenue will depend on task order wins. However, Viasat's selection demonstrates strong competitive positioning in the federal space communications market. The phase-out of NASA's TDRSS system creates an immediate catalyst for task order opportunities, as NASA must transition existing missions to commercial providers.

The timing is particularly advantageous as NASA's commitment to stop onboarding new TDRSS users as of November 2024 creates urgency for commercial solutions. For investors, this represents a clear path to recurring revenue growth through task orders, enhanced by the potential for scope expansion beyond initial ground segment support services. The contract's alignment with NASA's commercial integration strategy suggests strong potential for sustained long-term business development.

Viasat will join other commercial companies supporting NASA with connectivity for future missions under the five-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity award

CARLSBAD, Calif., Jan. 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Viasat, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global leader in satellite communications, announced today it was selected by NASA to support the agency’s direct-to-Earth (DTE) capabilities via the Near Space Network (NSN) Services contract, part of a five-year multi-award indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract program with an option to extend five years at a total cumulative value of $4.82 billion. Viasat is one of four commercial companies NASA announced will receive Task Order awards under this initiative. Initially, Viasat will provide global ground segment support services to NASA missions, with the potential to provide additional services in the future.

The NASA NSN Services contract will provide commercial ground and space relay services for future NASA missions from low Earth orbit (LEO) to two million kilometers from Earth. As part of the contract, Viasat’s Defense and Advanced Technologies (DAT) business will join other commercial providers in supplying DTE connectivity to current and planned NASA space missions. In 2023, NASA reported it satisfies about 36% of its DTE services through commercial providers, leaving significant room to expand with the aim to fully use commercial DTE services for near-space missions.

Viasat will support NASA communications with its global Viasat Real-Time Earth (RTE) Ground-Segment-as-a-Service (GSaaS) network, providing LEO missions with a resilient and high-throughput satellite to ground communications solution. Viasat has teamed with ATLAS Space Operations, leveraging their Freedom Ground Software as a Service and Global Federated Network, and the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) to provide NASA with a modern, highly capable, and geographically diverse satellite ground network. The Viasat RTE network is capable of multi-gigabit per second downlinks over a hybrid network-of-networks with a footprint across six continents, allowing NASA to significantly increase its daily opportunities to downlink information and support the timely delivery of mission critical data. Viasat’s integrated RTE network capability will offer modern ground advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud-based optimization, as well as the benefits of a resilient and scalable ground network solution.

“Viasat is thrilled to be selected by NASA to support NSN Services for critical mission needs,” said Kent Leka, Vice President and General Manager of Antenna Systems at Viasat. “From its inception, the Viasat RTE ground service was designed to be a high throughput, scalable, and automated ground service for supporting the most critical and data intensive missions in space. Through our work with ATLAS Space Operations and the Alaska Satellite Facility, NASA will gain access to a cutting-edge communications solution that improves performance, significantly increases efficiencies over legacy systems, and provides a more cost-effective service for delivering mission data. We are excited to bring these advanced ground services forward to support NASA’s evolving NSN Services requirements.”

The Viasat network includes access to an existing global Ka-band network for remote sensing data, and future enhancements will enable the integration of Viasat’s advanced space relay solutions for L-band and Ka-band. Viasat’s multi-orbit space relay services are separately being demonstrated under the NASA Communications Services Project, which supports NASA’s transition from its legacy Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS). In November 2024, the agency announced that the NSN will no longer onboard new TDRSS users and will support missions either through the network’s existing DTE capabilities or commercial relay services.

The NSN Services contract aligns with NASA’s aim to identify and take advantage of available commercial capabilities to support mission communications and navigation requirements. By integrating additional commercial providers into the NSN, NASA can transport more science, tracking, telemetry and command data to support NASA’s communications requirements for current and future missions.

Visit our website to learn more about Viasat Real-Time Earth network services.

About Viasat 
Viasat is a global communications company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be connected. With offices in 24 countries around the world, our mission shapes how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world communicate and connect. Viasat is developing the ultimate global communications network to power high-quality, reliable, secure, affordable, fast connections to positively impact people's lives anywhere they are — on the ground, in the air or at sea — while building a sustainable future in space. In May 2023, Viasat completed its acquisition of Inmarsat, combining the teams, technologies and resources of the two companies to create a new global communications partner. Learn more at www.viasat.com, the Viasat News Room or follow us on FacebookInstagramLinkedInX or YouTube

Copyright © 2025 Viasat, Inc. All rights reserved. Viasat, the Viasat logo and the Viasat Signal are registered in the U.S and in other countries to Viasat, Inc. All other product or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Viasat, Inc. Contacts
Dan Bleier, Public Relations, Viasat Government, +1 (202) 383-5074, daniel.bleier@viasat.com
Lisa Curran/Peter Lopez, Investor Relations, +1 (760) 476-2633, IR@viasat.com

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements that refer to Viasat’s support of NASA’s Near Space Network with Real-Time Earth ground segment services and advanced space relay capabilities; the expected benefits and performance of the Viasat services to support communications for NASA missions; and the potential value of awards under the IDIQ NSN services contract. Readers are cautioned that actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include: risks associated with the construction, launch and operation of satellites, including the effect of any anomaly, operational failure or degradation in satellite performance; our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of satellites and any future satellite we may construct or acquire; changes in relationships with, or the financial condition of, key customers or suppliers; our reliance on a limited number of third parties to manufacture and supply our products; increased competition; the effect of adverse regulatory changes (including changes affecting spectrum availability or permitted uses) on our ability to sell or deploy our products and services; changes in the way others use spectrum; our inability to access additional spectrum, use spectrum for additional purposes, and/or operate satellites at additional orbital locations; competing uses of the same spectrum or orbital locations that we utilize or seek to utilize; and introduction of new technologies and other factors affecting the communications and defense industries generally. In addition, please refer to the risk factors contained in our SEC filings available at www.sec.gov, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason.


FAQ

What is the total value of NASA's Near Space Network Services contract awarded to VSAT?

The total cumulative value of the contract is $4.82 billion over a five-year period, with an option to extend for another five years, shared among four commercial companies.

What services will Viasat (VSAT) initially provide under the NASA contract?

Initially, Viasat will provide global ground segment support services through its Real-Time Earth network, offering satellite-to-ground communications for NASA missions.

How many companies were selected alongside VSAT for NASA's NSN Services contract?

Viasat is one of four commercial companies selected by NASA to receive Task Order awards under this initiative.

What is the current percentage of NASA's direct-to-Earth services provided by commercial providers?

As of 2023, NASA reported that approximately 36% of its direct-to-Earth services are satisfied through commercial providers.

What is the geographical coverage of VSAT's Real-Time Earth network for NASA missions?

Viasat's RTE network has a footprint across six continents, enabling multi-gigabit per second downlinks over a hybrid network-of-networks.

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