Viasat Inc. has introduced its second-generation Ku-/Ka-band shipset, inclusive of an advanced hybrid antenna and complementary radome.
The latest dual-band system, aimed at the commercial widebody aircraft market, will keep passengers and crew connected across commercial Ku- and Ka-band Geosynchronous and Non-Geosynchronous satellite networks, virtually anywhere they fly around the globe.
According to the company, the shipset creates an accelerated migration path for commercial airlines wishing to operate on Viasat’s global network. It immediately enables worldwide roaming connectivity for new or retrofit aircraft – serving a large and growing portion of their routes on the fastest Ka-band networks, and the balance on global widebeam or spotbeam Ku satellites.
Airlines can steadily migrate a greater proportion of their routes to the faster, more economical Ka-band service, enabled by a growing array of partner satellites as well as the global ViaSat-3 constellation planned for launch in 2021 and 2022.
“Hybrid antenna systems are not new to Viasat—we have nearly two decades of experience deploying and managing these systems,” said Don Buchman, vice-president and general manager, Commercial Aviation, Viasat. “Similar to the first generation, Viasat’s latest dual-band system promotes smooth transitions among multiple satellite beams across Ku- and Ka-band networks. Our next-generation Ku-/Ka-band terminal is the most capable and flexible solution for commercial widebody aircraft – giving them a global solution today – with peace of mind that the technology deployed will be forward-compatible with the innovations in spacecraft technology of tomorrow.”
