Inmarsat parent company Viasat has confirmed the successful launch of the ViaSat-3 F2 satellite, the second spacecraft in its ultra-high-capacity Ka-band programme, in a move expected to improve future bandwidth capabilities for Inmarsat customers as the company continues the commercial rollout of its NexusWave platform.
The new satellite was launched aboard a ULA Atlas V551 from Cape Canaveral and has completed initial signal acquisition. ViaSat-3 F2 will serve the Americas region and is expected to enter service in early 2026 after in-orbit testing, adding more than 1 Tbps of bandwidth capacity.
Viasat notes that the satellite will double the total capacity of its global fleet, which includes all current Inmarsat satellites, adding flexible bandwidth that can be dynamically moved to high-demand areas.
Once operational, the system will form a core part of the company’s multi-orbit strategy, combining GEO, LEO and near-shore GSM. Additional GEO capacity from ViaSat-3 F2 is expected to support higher throughput and new services on NexusWave as commercial packages continue to develop.
“The successful launch and initial signal acquisition of ViaSat-3 F2 are a testament to the dedication and expertise of our Viasat team and partners,” said Mark Dankberg, Chairman and CEO of Viasat.
“This cutting-edge satellite will significantly scale our network’s performance and capacity, enabling exciting new connectivity services and supporting our customers’ growing needs across the Americas.”
In the coming days, the satellite will deploy its solar arrays and begin navigating to its final geostationary orbital location over the next several months. After reaching its final position, ViaSat-3 F2 will complete its deployments, including its reflectors, before undergoing extensive in-orbit testing and network integration.
Anticipated service entry remains on track for early 2026, the company said.
