Viasat, Inc. is an American company that provides high-speed internet using satellites. It also creates secure computer systems for both military and everyday uses. Viasat is based in Carlsbad, California, but has offices and operations all over the world.

Viasat's Story
Viasat Satellites
Viasat Internet Service
- Internet on Airplanes
- Internet Around the World
Viasat Security Systems
See also

Viasat's Story

How Viasat Started

Viasat was started in May 1986 by three people: Mark Dankberg, Mark Miller, and Steve Hart. Mark Dankberg became the main boss, called the CEO. Mark Miller and Steve Hart became the chief technology experts. The company got its first money, about $300,000, from a group called Southern California Ventures.

In December 1996, Viasat offered its shares to the public for the first time. This helped the company raise about $20 million. Its shares started trading on the NASDAQ stock market at $4.50 each. After this, the three founders still owned a big part of the company.

In 1999, Viasat moved its main office to Carlsbad, California. In 2000, Viasat created a new company called TrellisWare Technology. This new company works on developing communication and signal processing systems.

Growing with New Technologies

In 2000, Viasat bought the satellite networking part of Scientific-Atlanta for $75 million. This helped Viasat focus on providing technology for interactive services to businesses.

In 2001, Viasat started working with Boeing on a project called Connexion. This project aimed to provide broadband internet for airplanes. Viasat also bought Comsat Laboratories, which helps develop new technologies for sending lots of data through satellites. In the same year, Viasat bought US Monolithics, a company that designs high-frequency circuits for broadband.

Viasat also made agreements with other companies to expand its services. For example, Eutelsat agreed to use Viasat's internet terminals for their satellite network. Viasat also teamed up with Loral Skynet to create Immeon Networks. This company offered satellite internet services where you could get bandwidth when you needed it.

Connecting Homes and Businesses

In 2001, Viasat won a contract with WildBlue Communications to build satellite modems. These modems would help WildBlue launch its internet service. WildBlue signed another contract with Viasat to develop and produce satellite modem systems for six gateway stations.

WildBlue launched its internet service in October 2004. It used a satellite called Telesat Anik F2. After testing, the first home customers started getting service in June 2005. The WildBlue service got even better in 2007 with the help of the WildBlue-1 satellite.

In 2005, Viasat bought Efficient Channel Coding. This company made parts for broadband communication and satellite systems. This helped Viasat enter the IPStar satellite broadband market. In 2006, Viasat bought Enerdyne, a company that made video data link equipment for defense.

Viasat continued to grow by buying other companies. In 2007, it acquired JAST Antenna Systems, which develops antennas for satellite applications.

Big Purchases and New Locations

On December 15, 2009, Viasat bought WildBlue for $568 million. This deal included the WildBlue-1 satellite and access to another satellite's capacity. It also included about $75 million in cash.

In 2010, Viasat bought Stonewood Group, a company that specialized in encryption. This deal cost $20 million.

Viasat also expanded its physical locations. In January 2013, Viasat started building a larger office in Duluth, Georgia. In 2015, Viasat opened a big facility in Tempe, Arizona. This Arizona campus focuses on designing and making advanced communication and radar products. In 2016, Viasat announced a new research center in Chennai, India. In 2017, Viasat started building another facility in Bryan, Texas.

Viasat also acquired LonoCloud in 2013, a company that worked on cloud networking software.

Partnerships and More Acquisitions

In 2014, Viasat partnered with Thuraya Telecommunications to provide machine-to-machine (M2M) services. These services allow devices to communicate with each other. Viasat also worked with LightSquared on M2M services for vehicles and airplanes. Viasat teamed up with Southern California Edison to help them with their operational networks.

Viasat bought NetNearU in 2014, which had a Wi-Fi management system called TRACKOS. It also acquired Gray Labs, a company that specialized in satellite communications for intelligence and surveillance.

In 2015, Viasat acquired Engreen to improve its Flexible Broadband System. In March 2015, Viasat bought EAI Design Services to help with its satellite and cybersecurity projects.

In 2016, Viasat acquired Arconics, a company that made software for airplanes. This helped Viasat offer more software for aviation.

In 2017, Viasat planned to work with Eutelsat, a European satellite operator. They planned to create two new companies together. However, they decided not to go through with these plans in April 2018.

Viasat launched its third satellite, ViaSat-2, on June 1, 2017. The company also planned a group of three high-capacity satellites called ViaSat-3. The first ViaSat-3 satellite launched in 2023.

In December 2020, Viasat acquired RigNet. RigNet developed secure networking solutions. This acquisition helped Viasat offer more managed communication services.

In May 2021, Viasat asked a court to stop SpaceX from launching its Starlink satellites. Viasat was worried about environmental issues and space debris. However, the court decided that SpaceX could continue launching its satellites.

On November 8, 2021, Viasat announced a big deal to buy Inmarsat for $7.3 billion. This acquisition was completed on May 31, 2023.

On October 3, 2022, Viasat and L3Harris announced that L3Harris would buy Viasat's Tactical Data Link products for $1.96 billion. This deal was completed on January 3, 2023.

In January 2024, the Chinese government placed restrictions on Viasat. This was because of Viasat's involvement in U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. China removed these restrictions in July 2024.

In June 2025, Viasat was identified as a victim of a hacking group called Salt Typhoon. This group is believed to be operated by the Chinese government.

Viasat Computer Attack

On February 24, 2022, the same day Russia invaded Ukraine, thousands of Viasat modems stopped working. This was due to a "deliberate cyber event," also known as the Viasat hack. Many customers in Europe lost internet access for at least a month.

Later, experts found a new type of harmful software called AcidRain. This software was designed to permanently disable routers. Viasat confirmed that AcidRain was used in the cyber attack. AcidRain shares code with another harmful software called VPNFilter, which was linked to the Russian military in 2018. On May 10, 2022, the European Union stated that the attack on Viasat's KA-SAT network was a Russian operation.

Viasat Satellites

Viasat uses several satellites to provide its services. In July 2013, Viasat received permission to operate Ka-band earth stations for aircraft. Viasat uses resources on four main satellites: ViaSat-1, WildBlue1, Anik-F2, and ViaSat-2.

Anik-F2 launched in 2004 and started service in June 2005. Viasat uses its Ka-band resources, but the satellite belongs to Telesat.
WildBlue-1 launched in December 2006 from French Guiana. It weighed about 4,735 kilograms (10,439 pounds) and became active in early 2007.
ViaSat-1 was built by Space Systems/Loral. It launched from Kazakhstan in October 2011 and started service in January 2012. ViaSat-1 provides internet coverage to homes in the U.S., Hawaii, Canada, and Alaska. It uses fixed beams that focus on specific areas.
ViaSat-2 launched on July 1, 2017, and expanded the area covered by ViaSat-1. Viasat worked with Boeing to build this satellite. Its coverage area includes Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, parts of northern South America, and routes across the Atlantic Ocean. It started service in February 2018.
ViaSat-3: In November 2015, Viasat announced plans for three ViaSat-3 Ka-band satellites. These satellites are designed to provide global coverage with very high data speeds. The first ViaSat-3 satellite launched in 2023. When all three are in service, they are expected to have more capacity than all other spacecraft in the world combined.
KA-SAT: In November 2020, Viasat bought all remaining assets, including the KA-SAT satellite, and ended its joint project with Eutelsat. Viasat planned to launch ViaSat-3 Americas in late 2021, followed by another ViaSat-3 for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in 2022.

The ViaSat-3 group of satellites is now in service. There are also plans for more ViaSat-3 class satellites to be launched by SpaceX and United Launch Alliance.

Viasat Internet Service

Viasat's WiFi modem

Viasat Internet, first called Exede, launched in 2012. It provides broadband internet to areas where regular internet providers cannot reach. In 2013, Viasat added a home phone service called Voice. The company also offers internet for businesses, which started in 2014.

Viasat's Exede Internet uses the ViaSat-1 satellite. This satellite was designed by Viasat and built by Space Systems/Loral. It launched from Kazakhstan in October 2011. The satellite stays in a fixed position above North America. ViaSat-1 has 72 "spot beams" that send internet signals to specific areas. It covers the continental USA and Hawaii, and also Canada through the Xplornet service. The satellite weighs about 6,740 kg and is designed to work for 15 years. ViaSat-1 cost $400 million to build and launch. ViaSat-2, which launched in June 2017, made Viasat Internet even better by expanding its capacity and coverage.

Viasat's satellite internet was created to help people who didn't have access to traditional internet. The service offered speeds of 12 Mbit/s, which was much faster than older satellite internet options. In 2016, Viasat introduced even faster download speeds of 25 Mbit/s in some areas. They also offered a new modem with built-in Wi-Fi. In 2017, Viasat changed the name from Exede to Viasat Internet.

The internet service covers most of the continental U.S. and Hawaii. Between 2012 and 2015, the Federal Communications Commission reported that Viasat's Exede Internet met or even exceeded its advertised speeds.

Because Viasat satellites are far away in space, there's a slight delay, called "latency," in the signal. This delay is about 600 milliseconds, which is more than regular internet or newer satellite systems. This can make things like video calls or online gaming a bit slower.

Viasat Internet also offers a phone service for homes that uses the internet. Companies like DirecTV and Dish Network also sell Viasat Internet to their customers.

Internet on Airplanes

In December 2013, Viasat started offering Wi-Fi service on JetBlue flights. By November 2015, 420 JetBlue planes had this service. Viasat has since expanded its in-flight Wi-Fi to other airlines. These include United Airlines, American Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, Delta, El Al, Aeroméxico, and Qantas. This technology allows airlines to provide internet to many customers on a single plane.

Internet Around the World

In 2017, Viasat partnered with Grupo Prosperist in Mexico. They launched a "Community Wi-Fi" service. This service uses a central hotspot to connect to a Viasat satellite. It provides affordable internet to remote communities in Mexico. By 2019, over one million people in Mexico could access Community Wi-Fi. Facebook also started investing in Community Wi-Fi in 2019 to help bring high-speed internet to rural areas worldwide.

In July 2020, Viasat launched a high-speed home internet service for Brazil. It used bandwidth from the Telebras SGDC-1 satellite. This Wi-Fi service reached across eight states in Brazil, including São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

Viasat Security Systems

Protecting Data

Viasat makes special hard drives and external USB drives called Eclypt. These drives encrypt, or scramble, data. This means that if a computer or storage device is lost or stolen, the information on it cannot be easily read. Governments, military groups, and police agencies use Eclypt drives.

Securing Important Networks

Viasat Critical Infrastructure Security was introduced in 2013. It helps stop security problems and monitors important networks, like power grids. It does this by adding encrypted sensors to these networks. It then watches for any unusual activity from a special security center. Viasat is working with Southern California Edison to improve their security systems. This project is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. It aims to better protect the nation's electric grid and oil and gas systems from cyber attacks.

Government Communications

Viasat also provides mobile satellite internet services to the United States Government. It helps the U.S. military with secure communications. This includes secure data links for voice and data. Viasat also provides encryption devices to transfer secret data safely over public networks. Satellite communications give real-time information for military command and control.

The U.S. government uses Viasat's ArcLight technology over a private network. This network uses satellite links and can also use the Yonder global satellite network. Viasat offers worldwide satellite broadband access for mobile use, like on airplanes. This allows for communication while flying. Viasat also has a program for C-17 jets. It encrypts the satellite connections for the government. Viasat's Satellite Access Manager (SAM) helps the Department of Defense with missions. It helps with airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations. SAM makes better use of internet capacity by monitoring networks in real-time.

Viasat (American company) facts for kids

Contents