Viasat has officially confirmed the completion of thermal vacuum testing for the second satellite in its upcoming Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission. The testing took place at Northrop Grumman’s Dulles, Virginia site. This achievement is a crucial milestone in the broader project aimed at delivering high-speed broadband connectivity to the Arctic region by the second half of 2024.
The Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission, led by Space Norway’s subsidiary Heosat, is set to deploy two satellites, ASBM-1 and ASBM-2, into a highly elliptical orbit (HEO). This mission is groundbreaking as it marks the world’s first HEO mission with a broadband commercial service payload. Both satellites will host Viasat’s GX-10a and GX-10b Ka-band payloads, effectively expanding the global network connectivity offered by Viasat across the Arctic region.
Mark Dickinson, Head of Space Systems at Viasat, highlighted the company’s commitment to meeting customer needs through the strategic combination with Inmarsat. The investment in the network is aimed at providing flexibility, coverage, and interoperability to connect users worldwide, even in remote locations like the North Pole.
The ASBM-1 and ASBM-2 satellites will integrate into Viasat’s broader satellite fleet, contributing to the extension of its Ka-band network coverage. These payloads represent Viasat’s first venture into non-geostationary orbit and will be part of its cooperative hybrid network. Once operational, these satellites will increase Viasat’s fleet size to 20, with an additional eight under development.
In addition to hosting Viasat’s payloads, the spacecraft will carry payloads for the Norwegian Armed Forces and the US Space Force. The successful completion of the thermal vacuum test brings the project one step closer to providing dedicated broadband services to users in the Arctic. The final testing phase for ASBM-1 and ASBM-2 will follow, and after that, the satellites will be transported to Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, for launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in mid-2024.
