This milestone forms part of the project to connect the Arctic region with high-speed broadband in the second half of 2024.
The mission, led by the Space Norway subsidiary Heosat, will see the deployment of two satellites in a highly elliptical orbit (HEO), making it the world's first HEO mission with a broadband commercial service payload.
The two satellites – ASBM-1 and ASBM-2 – will host Viasat's GX-10a and GX-10b Ka-band payloads, extending its global network connectivity across the Arctic region.
“We have been talking with our customers, partners, and shareholders about how the combination with Inmarsat has given us a new scale and scope to deliver new solutions to meet our customers' requirements,” said Mark Dickinson, head of space systems at Viasat.
“This is an example of what that means in practice. The investment we've made in our network is creating the flexibility, coverage, and interoperability to meaningfully connect the world wherever and whenever our customers need it – even if they happen to be standing on the North Pole."
The spacecraft will integrate into Viasat's wider satellite fleet and extend the coverage of its Ka-band network. The payloads will be Viasat's first in non-geostationary orbit and will form part of its co-operative hybrid network.
Once operational, these new payloads will increase Viasat's fleet size to 20, with an additional eight under development.
Alongside GX10a and b, the spacecraft will host payloads for the Norwegian Armed Forces and the US Space Force.
"With both satellites through the thermal vacuum test we are really closing in on making this strategically important capability real,” added Kjell-Ove Skare, program director at Space Norway.
“We have seen an unprecedented collaborative effort with Viasat, the US Space Force, our Norwegian Armed Forces and with Northrop Grumman, and are all looking forward to providing the first dedicated broadband services to users in the real Arctic."
ASBM-1 and ASBM-2 will undergo their final testing after which, will be transferred to Vandenberg Space Force Base, California and launched together on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in mid-2024.
