Viasat’s contract with ATLAS Space Operations to provide NASA with mission-critical support – SatNews

Freedom: Ground Software as a Service™

ATLAS Space Operations has been contracted by Viasat, Inc., a global leader in satellite communications, to help provide mission-critical support to ongoing and future NASA missions. As one of four commercial companies named in the first round of NASA Near Space Network (NSN) Services contract Task Order awards, Viasat will employ its global Real-Time Earth (RTE) network to support the agency’s expansion of Direct-to-Earth (DTE) capabilities. ATLAS, the largest U.S.-owned and operated federated ground network and the pioneer of Ground Software as a Service (G-SaaS), will support Viasat by contributing additional network capacity and integrating its patented Freedom® Ground Software as a Service (GSaaS) into the team’s cutting-edge solution.

Viasat’s initial Task Order is for support of low Earth orbit (LEO) science missions using RTE’s resilient, scalable, and high throughput architecture, providing NASA the necessary ground segment services to meet their latency, accuracy, and availability requirements. Leveraging ATLAS’ Freedom Software, Viasat’s RTE network will deliver enhanced insights, flexibility, and adaptability in ground station orchestration. The additional capacity offered by ATLAS’ Global Federated Network ensures that NASA always has an antenna available.

The team’s initial Task Order award begins with LEO services, the five-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) NSN contract also carries an additional five-year option and a cumulative maximum potential value of $4.82 billion (over 10 years) shared between the other NSN contract awardees. This should present future opportunities to expand work under additional awards for all the commercial companies selected.

The constellation of Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) provides communication and tracking services to missions in low Earth orbit (LEO). BASA

“Teaming up with Viasat’s expert and forward-thinking team is always a privilege,” said Brad Bode, ATLAS Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder. “NASA’s selection of Viasat for Near Space Network (NSN) communications marks a pivotal shift toward commercial services, and our Freedom GSaaS is at the core of enabling this transition. By leveraging a software-defined, cloud-based architecture, we seamlessly integrate the Viasat RTE and ATLAS Global Federated Network, ensuring rapid scalability and adaptability. This approach accelerates NASA’s ability to replace legacy processes, reducing operational overhead and delivering faster, more flexible mission support—from Earth orbit to cislunar space and beyond.”

Near Space Network antennas at the White Sands Complex in Las Cruces, New Mexico. NASA

“We are thrilled to expand our already strong relationship with ATLAS through the NSN Services Contract,” said Steve Tanous, Vice President of Viasat RTE.  “NASA’s selection of Viasat validates our hybrid network approach that can deliver commercial and government customers alike with a more robust, resilient, and reliable ground service.”  

The Viasat-ATLAS collaboration adds resiliency and capacity to NSN’s support of missions that include climate study, celestial object research, and even NASA’s Artemis campaign and marks a new chapter in the longstanding relationship between the two companies.