Viasat Real-Time Earth Ground Service Available via Microsoft Azure Orbital

Sept. 22, 2020

Viasat Inc. announced Viasat Real-Time Earth (RTE) is available as a managed services option for Microsoft Azure customers. The Company has integrated Azure Orbital with its ground service solution to enable Azure Orbital customers, including those in the earth observation and remote sensing segments, easy access to Viasat's proven ground service solution—from initial commissioning and calibration to subsequent telemetry, tracking and command services and downlinking of critical payload data.

Microsoft Azure announced Orbital today at Microsoft Ignite, which is being held virtually from today through September 24, 2020. Azure Orbital is a new service focused on providing satellite operators with direct access to Azure through owned and partner antennas. Viasat is recognized for providing global, trusted and secure antenna solutions, and is now part of the Azure Orbital ecosystem with its RTE solution.

Viasat's RTE network provides Ground-Station-as-a-Service (GSaaS) to the commercial and government earth observation and remote sensing communities. The service offers affordability and reduced latency through automation and geographic diversity on a pay-per-use basis. Viasat's RTE service supports next-generation and legacy low earth orbit satellites using the S-, X-, and Ka-bands, which will enable operators to meet current and future data requirements. Specifically for its relationship with Microsoft, Viasat expects Azure Orbital customers to leverage Viasat's 5.4 meter S-/X-band antennas systems and its 7.3 meter S-/X-/Ka-band antenna systems utilizing the world-class Viasat high-rate receiver, the VHR-3200, which is capable of downlink speeds from 15 Megabits per second (Mbps) to 6400Mbps for computing at the edge.

John Williams, vice president, RTE at Viasat commented, "We are in a leading position to help modernize and scale RTE communications across the major cloud providers. We're proud to join the Microsoft Azure Orbital ecosystem, as this relationship will provide Azure Orbital end-users with access to advanced antennas systems and modems, while also elevating opportunities to develop new state-of-the-art technologies that stand to transform the GSaaS industry."

"Commercial and government earth observation communities require the flexibility, scalability and security provided by cloud-based solutions to command and control satellites as well as downlink and distribute valuable satellite data over trusted networks," said Chirag Parikh, principal program manager, Microsoft Azure at Microsoft Corp. "Viasat RTE ground service provides real-time automation and interoperability with multiple layers of redundancy and diversity to ensure Microsoft Azure Orbital end-users' data is transmitted and delivered in a timely, affordable and secure manner."