Viasat, Inc., a global leader in satellite communications, today announced that the ViaSat-3 Flight 2 (F2) satellite is scheduled to launch aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V551 from Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida in the second half of October 2025.
The paperwork is in to have the satellite flown from Los Angeles to Cape Canaveral on an An-124, one of the final preparation steps for launch. Getting the long-delayed additional satellite into orbit will be a significant boost for capacity in the Americas, all the more important as more airlines bring free inflight Wi-Fi into the cabin.
ViaSat-3 F2, which has been custom designed with state-of-the-art technology to maximize the efficient deployment of capacity and provide unparalleled performance for customers through leading SLAs, is anticipated to provide more bandwidth capacity than the entire existing fleet and marks a significant milestone for Viasat’s multi-orbit network roadmap. The satellite is planned to come into service at an important time as demand for resilient, global satellite communications from commercial mobility and defense customers is significantly increasing. ViaSat-3 F2 will be part of a global constellation that is expected to provide substantial capacity and bandwidth economics with significant flexibility to move and concentrate capacity in the highest demand places virtually anywhere – whether it is on land, at sea or in the air.
“I’m proud of our Viasat team and partners for pushing the boundaries with these ultra-high-capacity satellites, which will deliver extensive benefits to our customers, including enhanced network efficiency, performance, user experience, coverage, capacity, flexibility and cost,” said Mark Dankberg, Chairman and CEO, Viasat. “The ViaSat-3 F1 satellite is delivering outstanding performance and already enabling exceptional passenger experience for our airline customers. Our customers are excited about the addition of ViaSat-3 F2 to our global network, which we expect will significantly scale performance and number and density of users, and enable exciting new connectivity services alongside our in-flight entertainment and monetization business models. We have been a leader in innovating, delivering and integrating all these services and are confident that the combination of our existing and planned fleet with our third-party partners positions us well to serve the growing demand we are witnessing in our target markets.”
“We’re very confident about the future and excited to be realizing this milestone towards doubling Viasat’s bandwidth capacity,” said Gary Chase, CFO, Viasat. “Supported by our key customer relationships, strong business franchises, and momentum in attractive growing markets, we delivered both record revenues and record new contract awards in FY2025. We are laser focused on what we can achieve in FY2026 and beyond as we continue to build earnings power, reduce capital intensity, and generate sustained and growing free cash flow.”
The precise ViaSat-3 F2 launch date and time will be provided closer to launch in conjunction with ULA.
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