Inmarsat Gains High-Speed Pacific Coverage With Final Viasat-3 Launch
Inmarsat's high-end broadband service is fast, but its recent tie-up with U.S. satcom giant Viasat promises to make it even faster. Inmarsat's multi-orbit hybrid network is designed to integrate bandwidth from ViaSat's next-generation satellite constellation, ViaSat-3. First launched in May 2023 for service over the Americas, the VS3 satellite series should bring high speed broadband over Europe and Asia as well - and it is now one big step closer to full deployment. On April 29, the third and final ViaSat-3 satellite took flight on a SpaceX rocket, and it successfully reached orbit.
ViaSat-3 has been years in the making. The first satellite had challenges with antenna deployment, and has not been able to attain its full data throughput rate. It serves the Americas, and is currently capable of about one-tenth of its rated one-terabit capacity. ViaSat has filed a claim with its insurers for $420 million in connection with the satellite's underperformance, a historically high request.
The second satellite went up without issue aboard an Atlas V rocket in November 2025, and is slated to serve the EMEA region once it comes fully online. The third and most-anticipated satellite, Viasat-3 F3, launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket on Wednesday. Following a dramatic flight up and out of the atmosphere, the six-tonne telecom relay was delivered successfully to a geosynchronous orbit.
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Using Viasat-3, combined with a purpose-built terminal that works with the new constellation, Inmarsat expects to add much more capacity to its bonded network. The terminal is capable of 250 mbps download speeds - enough bandwidth to provide full redundant backup for a high speed LEO service. The F3 satellite will put that coverage over the busy shipping lanes of the Pacific.
"As ViaSat-3 capacity becomes available, we’re taking another big step forward for our customers and partners by bringing more bandwidth, better flexibility, and a forward-thinking upgrade path to ensure connected confidence for the future," said Ben Palmer, president of Viasat Commercial, in announcing the addition of Viasat-3 to the lineup last year.