Fast paced in space: Viasat launches ViaSat-3
This is a special feature from PAX Tech’s June 2023 AIX issue on page 20.
Viasat’s ground network has large antennas aimed at the satellite and serves as the intermediary between users and the internet (ViaSat)
Inflight connectivity is moving away from being considered just a “nice to have.” To keep up with the fast-paced innovation in the IFC field, airlines are focused on smoothing out the connectivity experience for passengers. Though the question of “how it works” may not be on every passenger’s mind, it is an important question to consider. Satellite companies such as Viasat are working behind the scenes (and in space) to make it all happen on board.
In this Q&A, PAX Tech speaks to Don Buchman, Viasat’s Vice President and General Manager of Commercial Mobility. In the discussion, Buchman shares excitement about Viasat’s recent launch of ViaSat-3 Americas. The launch of the ViaSat-3 constellation represents the first time the company has launched a trio of satellites. As the “world’s highest capacity satellite ever to launch” it is a “significant achievement,” he says. He also details updates from partnerships with Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines and makes some predictions for this year’s AIX. “I expect there will be a lot of discussion in Hamburg about everything on the aircraft being connected via Wi-Fi: seat screens, coffee makers, engines,” he says. “While this has been a concept for some time, this is finally shifting from talking to doing, which is really exciting for the industry.”
Don Buchman, Vice President Commercial Mobility, Viasat (Viasat)
PAX TECH: Why is inflight connectivity so important right now?
DON BUCHMAN: Just like on Earth, on board an aircraft the plethora of data-hungry devices and video-based applications is driving (exponentially) increasing demand for bandwidth. Passenger expectations have evolved, too, especially in recent years as video has become the dominant internet traffic driver. Now, bringing along streaming subscriptions during travel is increasingly the norm.
For airlines, consistent and high-quality connectivity can be a key enabler operationally. This can include keeping crew and maintenance departments connected and facilitating real-time operational data to key stakeholders.
PAX TECH: Knowing how vital connectivity is to airlines and passengers alike, how is Viasat meeting the demand for high-speed, quality IFC?
BUCHMAN: We have said for some time now that the right bandwidth is the key element to great inflight connectivity. And that has been our focus —Viasat continues to invest heavily in satellite technology to not only keep pace but exceed the swelling demand for connectivity around the globe.
For inflight connectivity specifically, we have intently focused on addressing the most pressing challenge to great Wi-Fi onboard in aviation. And that is having the bandwidth supply to provide a high-quality, consistently fast connection in areas of peak demand — such as at busy airport hubs or even highly congested air corridors. The industry has responded positively to our efforts to meet this challenge and, in the process, unlock opportunities via connectivity.
PAX TECH: How does Viasat meet the demand where it is highest and most concentrated?
BUCHMAN: Demand for satellite bandwidth across global air travel is — similar to fixed broadband demand — heavily concentrated over certain geographical areas, including major hub cities. Airlines are increasingly understanding that matching supply (capacity) with demand over these busy hubs is the primary challenge for providing consistently great inflight connectivity.
So, increasingly, the expectation is that the on-board connectivity is as consistent when the aircraft is parked alongside hundreds of others at JFK or ATL or DFW — when demand is peaked — as it is when cruising at 35k feet over remote areas of Montana, where demand is of course lower. As a provider, we are measured when demand is highest so it’s critical to our customers that we deliver in those scenarios.
Flexible capacity means Viasat can address variable demands so the connectivity experience remains consistent for each passenger no matter where they are or when.
Viasat is working to establish the bandwidth supply to provide a high-quality, consistently fast connection in areas of peak demand (Viasat)
PAX TECH: ViaSat-3 Americas launched the Kennedy Space Center on April 26, 2023. What new connectivity needs will the new launch meet?
BUCHMAN: ViaSat-3 Americas is expected to be the world’s highest-capacity satellite ever to launch. Collectively, the three-satellite ViaSat-3 constellation is anticipated to provide more capacity than any other telecommunication network currently in orbit. In fact, the ViaSat-3 constellation is expected to offer nearly eight times more capacity than Viasat’s current satellite fleet.
Beyond the sheer capacity leap, which is astounding, the flexible capacity that ViaSat-3 is designed to provide will further address a key challenge to great inflight Wi-Fi, which is providing a high-quality, consistently fast connection in areas of peak demand.
PAX TECH: How is the ground network connected to the satellite system?
BUCHMAN: Like all satellite networks, Viasat requires a reliable, highly resilient ground network. A ground network is a collection of Earth stations connected to the internet by fibre optic cable. These locations, often called gateways, have large antennas aimed at the satellite and serve as an intermediary between the user and the internet.
As our satellites have grown more sophisticated, the ground stations have increased in number and decreased in size. More of these “Satellite Access Nodes” — or SANs — not only means a more powerful ground network but also one that’s highly flexible and resistant to outages due to the redundancy so many SANs provide.
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines began offering free Wi-Fi to all Delta SkyMiles® Members onboard most domestic mainline flights this year on February 1. Viasat IFC services will soon be featured on Delta Air Lines’ widebody fleets, including all active aircraft in its A330, A350, and 767 fleets. In addition to previously announced mainline fleets, the A220 and upcoming deliveries of the 737 MAX will also be outfitted and serviced by Viasat.
According to Buchman, Delta remains on track to offer Viasat IFC service on more than 700 aircraft by the end of 2023. “The speed and scale at which we have reached this milestone together — now with more than 1,000 aircraft planned for installation, including widebody fleets — has been astounding and is a tribute to our collaboration, Buchman says “So, installations continue to go smoothly and at a rapid pace. The number of certifications acquired during the process is impressive as well, which is a massive undertaking for the team and something we’re quite proud of.”
PAX TECH: How is the system installed on aircraft?
BUCHMAN: The installation process can vary depending on if inflight connectivity equipment is the only installation taking place, but typically this is a one- to three-day process that requires the aircraft to be out of service for a short time.
Southwest Airlines
The initial Viasat-equipped Southwest aircraft entered service in March 2023. Onboard, both IFC and live TV are provided by Viasat’s satellite network. In a release in March it was noted that the service includes 13 channels like CNN, ESPN, FOX, and some seasonal channels such as the NFL Network and the Golf Channel.
The service works on mobile devices, including laptops, Android, and iOS personal electronic devices. Additionally, with Viasat, passengers have the ability to trade paid internet connectivity between personal devices. This is known as “device swapping.”
PAX TECH: Initial Southwest Airlines line-fit aircraft have been delivered and have entered service with Viasat’s IFC service. How did the launch go?
BUCHMAN: Overall, service entry with Southwest has been incredibly smooth and successful. Customers who purchase Southwest’s $8 internet “Takeoff to Landing,” (on Viasat-equipped aircraft) can log into their favourite streaming service and watch content, catch live TV, and access social media or other apps.
The ability to trade paid internet connectivity between personal devices (known as “device swapping”) on ViaSat-equipped Southwest aircraft is enabled because the connectivity session for the flight is digitally tied to the passenger’s email address. So, moving connectivity from a laptop to a phone, for example, is as easy as entering your email address into Southwest’s portal on the second device.
Facts and Figures
ViaSat-1 and ViaSat-2 will remain viable and
productive for some time until the launch of ViaSat-3
Before ViaSat-3, previous owned satellites were exclusively single satellites. Though ViaSat-1 and ViaSat-2 will remain viable and productive for some time, ViaSat-3 is considered the company’s most ambitious project yet.
“In the past,” Buchman says. “There was always a necessary trade-off: capacity or coverage, but not both. That is why this program is so ambitious and represents ground-breaking innovation. The leap here is massive capacity with near global coverage.”
To highlight how this launch is truly pushing the envelope, Buchman shared the following highlights:
• “In terms of power, each ViaSat-3 satellite will have greater than 25kW of power, making them among the highest-powered satellites ever built. This power capacity is necessary to power the sophisticated electronics at the core of the satellite’s tremendous capacity.
• Once deployed in space, the ViaSat-3 satellites will be significantly larger than most other geostationary satellites, with an overall wingspan of 144 feet — about half a football field — and weighing approximately six metric tons.
• ViaSat-3 Americas will be the largest all-electric satellite to be launched and is lighter than anything we’ve launched before.”
