Space Force awards Viasat, SES $437 million for military satellite network
SpaceNews • • business
Key Points:
- The U.S. Space Force awarded Viasat and SES contracts totaling $437.6 million to build communications satellites for the Protected Tactical Satcom-Global (PTS-G) program, aimed at enhancing military communications resilience against jamming and cyber attacks.
- The initial procurement, known as "Swarm 1," will include four smaller satellites—two built by Viasat and two by SES—scheduled for delivery by March 2029.
- PTS-G utilizes a "swarm" architecture of multiple smaller satellites in geostationary orbit to ensure continuous regional coverage, even if individual satellites are lost or disrupted.
- The satellites will operate on X-band and military Ka-band frequencies, which are commonly used for military communications.
- A second procurement round planned for 2028 will add four more PTS-G satellites, with deployment expected by 2031.