Viasat selected for Space Force PTS-G program. 0 Comments On June 11, Viasat, Inc. announced it was awarded a prime contract by 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 geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) satellites under the Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global (PTS-G) program. 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. The proposed satellite design and operational concept illustrates how Viasat is applying low cost, high performance dual-use technology to provide resilient connectivity for an increasingly contested tactical communications environment. The PTS-G program, which has an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) ceiling value of $4B across program awardees, is a cornerstone of the USSF's strategy to use commercial baseline designs to deploy a proliferated constellation of agile GEO satellites to deliver secure, resilient, anti-jam communications and improve operational flexibility for warfighters worldwide. This prime contract reinforces Viasat's unique position as both an end-to-end satellite system manufacturer and operator for the USSF across a broad range of frequencies and expands its role as a partner for U.S. and global allies seeking advanced, dual-use space communication systems. Under this multi-year development award, Viasat's 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 cutting-edge 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. "Viasat is pleased to continue our partnership with the U.S. Space Force as the PTS-G program moves into the production phase," said Craig Miller, president, Viasat Government. "This production award recognizes Viasat's technical and operational expertise designing and rapidly delivering resilient, and high-performance dual-use satellite solutions in a multi-orbit environment, as well as our deep understanding of USSF mission needs and how to effectively deliver secure communications for DoW and partner missions. 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." PTS-G is part of a broader transformation in how the USSF acquires and deploys satellite communications capabilities - emphasizing speed, competition, and commercial technology integration to meet evolving threats. This transformation includes the USSF objective to deploy maneuverable GEO satellites, significantly improving the resilience and agility of military communications. John Reeves, vice president of space and mission systems, Viasat Government, said, "Our team is motivated to continue this critical work supporting the USSF and DoW under the PTS-G program, and we are eager to transition our innovative design into production and delivery of a small, maneuverable GEO capability to support dynamic mission operations. Our flexible dual-band X/Ka-band satellite is designed to enable critical DoW operations and mission outcomes - supporting global connectivity, increasing resilience and improving warfighters' ability to combat emerging threats." The Viasat SMS team is part of the company's Defense and Advanced Technologies segment. Viasat's production and delivery of the dual-band satellite system will support meeting initial operating capability no earlier than 2029. IC News delivers the situational awareness you need to get ahead and stay ahead in the IC contracting space. Subscribe today for full access to 10,000+ articles, plus new articles each weekday.

SNU researchers advance 6G with world-first wafer-integrated antenna. 2 minutes read A breakthrough for future wireless networks was achieved recently when researchers from Seoul National University (SNU) managed to produce a technology which allows manufacturing of 6G high-frequency antennas in mass production on silicon wafers using processes similar to those employed to manufacture computer chips. The innovative architecture called STARE (Semiconductor Transmit Array with Reconfigurable Elements) was invented by a research team led by Professor Jungsuek Oh from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at SNU. It allows 6G antennas and radiofrequency (RF) semiconductor switches responsible for directing radio waves to be integrated into one wafer in the course of manufacturing process. The bottleneck in next-gen connectivity. Both 6G networks and current satellites depend on huge arrays of small antennas, which can concentrate their signals to the end-user accurately. Technologies like the Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS), which is a smart panel that redirects or reflects radio waves around objects, are essential for the operation of high-frequency networks. Nevertheless, there are serious limitations when it comes to the production of such devices through traditional technologies: * Complicated Assembly: Conventional approaches involve placing thousands of individual switch, PIN diode, and varactor parts on prefabricated antennas. With an increase in size of the antenna arrays, the cost and complexity of assembly grow tremendously. * Material Deficiencies: Other possible materials like liquid crystals react too slowly, while standard diodes have huge losses of energy at ultra-high frequencies. * Contradictory Design: Semiconductors are created by chip technology on a nanometer scale, while antennas work on the principle of electromagnetic waves on a millimeter scale. Combining these two different ways of designing in one silicon chip was historically very difficult. How STARE solves the problem. Rather than developing a circuit board and mounting the components on it, the STARE architecture unites the antenna and the switches into one semiconductor device. In order to address the issues arising from the integration of two different systems onto one silicon chip, the researchers made three important advances: * Integrated Co-Design: They created a design method that combined electromagnetic analysis with the real performance of semiconductors enabling design of the switches and antenna patterns at the same time from the start. * Magnetic Coupling: In conventional design, microholes had to be drilled in the silicon wafer, an expensive process called through-silicon vias, to enable the connection of the front- and rear-side components. Using the SNU technology, there was no need to drill holes; magnetic coupling of the metal structures on opposite sides of the wafer enabled signal transfer. * Flat and Sleek Design: As the use of magnetic fields for signal transfer minimizes losses and makes control switches totally embedded in the wafer, not sticking out of it. Key performance benefits. * Nanosecond Switching: Offers near-instantaneous signal steering compared to older liquid-crystal alternatives. * Ultra-Low Power: Reduces power consumption and signal losses over high frequency 6G bands. * Scalable Mass Production: Because components do not need to be attached one by one, production costs drop significantly as array sizes grow. * Customizable Designs: Antenna layouts can be altered at the software design stage to fit specific physical spaces or frequency bands before the wafer is made. Viasat Partners with Rocket Lab to Build Mini-GEO Satellite for U.S. Space Force Also Read Real-World applications. With support from South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT via the Institute of Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP), the single wafer-based design makes a wide range of applications possible: * 6G Base Stations and Repeaters: Small, low-profile panels that can be mounted on walls or lampposts to steer waves around congested urban areas. * Satellite Network: Low-power, lightweight beam steering antenna for Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) satellite internet receivers. * Fleet Control of Autonomous Vehicles: Real-time ultra-low latency electronic steering of beams to follow movements of autonomous cars and factory robots. * AI Data Center & ISAC: Wireless high-speed data transmission in AI data centers and Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) systems where one radio panel can simultaneously transmit data and map environment. The research team from SNU managed to build a full-scale prototype demonstrating full control over electronic beam steering. The next step is to develop additional switch paths for fine tuning of signal angles and power.