ATLAS joins Viasat to enhance NASA's satellite ground services

ATLAS joins Viasat to enhance NASA's satellite ground services
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 19, 2025

ATLAS Space Operations has partnered with satellite communications leader Viasat, Inc. to deliver essential support for NASA's current and future missions. Viasat, among the initial group of four firms awarded Task Orders under NASA's Near Space Network (NSN) Services contract, will deploy its Real-Time Earth (RTE) network globally to boost NASA's Direct-to-Earth (DTE) communications capabilities. ATLAS, recognized as the largest U.S.-owned federated ground network and an innovator in Ground Software as a Service (G-SaaS), will enhance Viasat's offering by adding network capacity and integrating its proprietary Freedom GSaaS platform.

Under the initial Task Order, Viasat will support low Earth orbit (LEO) science missions through RTE's resilient and scalable infrastructure, ensuring NASA receives reliable ground services with minimal latency and high precision. By incorporating ATLAS' Freedom Software, Viasat's RTE network gains increased agility in orchestrating ground station operations. ATLAS' extensive Global Federated Network further guarantees that NASA has continuous antenna access for its missions.

"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."

"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."

This collaboration strengthens NSN's capacity and resilience in supporting a range of missions, from climate research to space exploration, including the Artemis campaign. It also reflects the evolving partnership between ATLAS and Viasat, setting the stage for long-term cooperation.

While the current Task Order focuses on LEO missions, the NSN contract spans five years with an option to extend another five, totaling a potential $4.82 billion over a decade shared among the selected commercial providers. This opens the door for future opportunities as additional awards are issued.