Viasat-3 Americas (VS-3 Americas) at 89° West

Position:	89° West
Manufacturer:	Boeing
Operator:	Viasat, Inc.
Launch operator:	SpaceX
Launch vehicle:	Falcon Heavy
Launch date:	05/01/2023
Expected lifetime:	15+ Years

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The Viasat-3 Americas at 89° West satellite is operated by satellite operator Viasat, Inc. The ultra-high-capacity satellite system is a highly advanced global constellation comprised of three geostationary ViaSat-3 class satellites;

ViaSat-3 Americas, providing broadband connectivity service to the Americas,
ViaSat-3 EMEA, providing broadband connectivity service to Europe, Middle-East and Africa,
ViaSat-3 Asia, providing broadband connectivity service to the Asia-Pacific market.

Each ViaSat-3 class satellite is expected to offer over 1 Terabit per second (Tbps), or 1,000 Gbps, of total network capacity to deliver a global broadband network with enough bandwidth to deliver affordable, high-speed, high-quality internet and video streaming services. The ViaSat-3 constellation is anticipated to have approximately 8x the capacity of Viasat’s current satellite fleet combined.

The ViaSat-3 global satellite constellation is expected to significantly increase the coverage and capacity of Viasat’s network. Nearly half of the capacity of the ViaSat-3 fleet is designed to be available to areas that are currently unconnected or underserved and the constellation will have the flexibility to move bandwidth from low-demand areas to high-demand areas, providing high-speed connectivity for affordably prices.

The satellites were first announced in 2015. In February 2016, Viasat announced a partnership with Boeing Satellite Systems. For each of the three ViaSat-3 class satellites, Viasat will build the satellite payload, integrate the payload into the Boeing-provided payload module. Boeing will provide the scalable 702 satellite platform, system integration and test, launch vehicle integration and mission operations services. Each ViaSat-3 satellite payload is being manufactured at Viasat’s own manufacturing facility in Tempe, Arizona USA. The satellites are expected to weigh 6,400 kg each and are projected to have a total network capacity over 1Tbps.

ViaSat-3 (EMEA) was originally to be procured jointly with satellite operator Eutelsat, but in May 2018, Eutelsat dropped out of the joint venture.

Viasat has three launch contracts, one for each ViaSat-3 class satellite. The company announced plans to launch one of the satellites with launch operator Arianespace on their new Ariane 64 rocket, one with ULA’s Atlas 5 and one with SpaceX on the Falcon Heavy.

Viasat-3 Americas at 89° West was orbited on May 1st 2023, on a Falcon Heavy rocket operated by SpaceX.