Satellite communications provider Viasat says it’s secured its first task order worth $3.5 million under a new U.S. Space Force contract designed to leverage commercial space internet services. The award falls under the Proliferated Low Earth Orbit (PLEO) satellite services contract, managed by the Defense Information Systems Agency and the Space Force’s Commercial Satellite Communications Office.
The contract ceiling was recently increased from $900 million to $13 billion, reflecting surging demand for satellite-based broadband services, according to Viasat. Some 20 vendors were selected to compete for orders over a five-year base period, with an option to extend for an additional five years, notes SpaceNews.
Viasat said the PLEO task order is for “fully-managed LEO satellite-based services and capabilities, to include space relay services, supplemented by geostationary and non-GEO satellites.”
Viasat operates geostationary satellites, but doesn’t maintain its own low Earth orbit network. The company said it will provide LEO services through an undisclosed partner’s Ku-band network. Today, only OneWeb and SpaceX’s Starlink operate high-speed LEO broadband networks, with Amazon’s Project Kuiper expected to begin services in the near future, notes SpaceNews.
Viasat executives previously indicated the company is in discussions with multiple LEO operators, including OneWeb, to enhance its multi-orbit connectivity offerings. The company has stated it has no plans to deploy its own LEO constellation.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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