April 26, 2017

ViaSat Inc. confirmed the scheduled launch date for the ViaSat-2 satellite is June 1, 2017. The ViaSat-2 satellite will launch aboard an Arianespace Ariane 5 ECA launch vehicle from the Guiana Space Center, Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The satellite will be sent into geostationary transfer orbit by the launch vehicle and will provide broadband services from an orbital slot located at 69.9° west longitude.

The ViaSat-2 satellite system is expected to significantly improve speeds, reduce costs and expand the footprint of broadband services across North America, Central America, the Caribbean, a portion of northern South America, as well as the primary aeronautical and maritime routes across the Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe. 

ViaSat-2 is a geostationary satellite that operates in Ka-band frequencies. It was designed to offer high-capacity connectivity and wide coverage, with the flexibility to move capacity to where demand requires it. ViaSat-2 is expected to double the bandwidth of ViaSat-1, with more than 300 Gigabits per second (Gbps) of total network capacity, as well as provide seven times the broadband coverage over its predecessor. ViaSat-2 is expected to enter service in early calendar year 2018.