Problems Arise as Viasat Struggles to Unfold Oversized Antenna on High-Powered Broadband Satellite

The deployment of a large mesh antenna on the Viasat communications satellite, launched by SpaceX on April 30, has encountered difficulties, according to company officials. The mesh antenna is crucial for providing hemispheric access to high-speed internet. In a statement released by Viasat, the company revealed that an unexpected event occurred during the deployment of the reflector, which may impact the performance of the ViaSat-3 Americas satellite. Viasat and its reflector provider are currently reviewing the issue and exploring potential solutions.

If the primary antenna cannot be properly positioned, the satellite will not be able to function as intended. This news has led to a significant decline in Viasat shares since the announcement.

The first ViaSat-3 satellite, launched in April of last year, was scheduled to provide space-based internet access to customers in the western hemisphere starting this summer. Two additional satellites, which will cover Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, are set to be launched within the next two years. These satellites have the capability to handle up to 1 terabyte of data per second and feature the largest dish antennas ever launched on a commercial spacecraft. The reflectors on each satellite are designed to deploy using a long boom.

David Ryan, president of space and commercial networks for Viasat, described the size of the mesh antenna as proprietary but emphasized its significant size that takes several days to deploy on a retractable boom that is 80 to 90 feet long. When fully deployed, the antenna takes the shape of a parabolic dish and communicates with the rest of the satellite and ground-based gateways.

ViaSat developed the communications equipment for the relay station, while Boeing provided the satellite. Although Viasat has not provided many details about the antenna, it was revealed to be supplied by Northrop Grumman’s Astro Aerospace. Mark Dankberg, chairman and CEO of Viasat, expressed disappointment in the situation and stated that efforts are being made to resolve the issue with the antenna’s manufacturer. The company assured current customers that they will not be affected by the antenna problem and mentioned the possibility of relocating another ViaSat-3 satellite to provide additional Americas bandwidth.

William Harwood

Bill Harwood has been covering the U.S. space program full-time since 1984, first as Cape Canaveral bureau chief for United Press International and now as a consultant for CBS News. He covered 129 space shuttle missions, every interplanetary flight since Voyager 2’s flyby of Neptune, and numerous commercial and military launches. Harwood, based in Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, is a passionate amateur astronomer and co-author of “Comm Check: The Final Flight of Shuttle Columbia.”