Viasat (VSAT) shares rose 0.51% to $83.30 as the company advanced a major U.S. Space Force satellite communications project. The company selected Rocket Lab to build a satellite bus for the Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global (PTS-G) program, a mission targeting secure, anti-jam communications for U.S. and allied forces. The agreement strengthens Viasat's role in developing secure communications systems for U.S. and allied military operations and advances a smaller, resilient geosynchronous communications system for defense.

Viasat Advances Space Force Satellite Program

Viasat selected Rocket Lab to support its work under the U.S. Space Force's Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global program. Rocket Lab will provide a satellite bus based on its Lightning spacecraft platform for the planned mission, and Viasat will integrate its communications payload with the spacecraft before launch and operational deployment.

The Space Force awarded Viasat a prime contract for the program on May 22, 2026. The initial Swarm 1 production order covers manufacturing, integration, testing, launch, and orbital checkout activities for the mission. Under the award, Viasat will deliver one of the first small and maneuverable satellites planned for geosynchronous Earth orbit.

The PTS-G program supports the military's shift toward smaller and faster satellite systems with stronger protection against interference and jamming. The effort extends protected communications to routine tactical users, complementing the Advanced Extremely High Frequency constellation that was built primarily for strategic command-and-control traffic. The Space Force also wants commercial technologies to increase system resilience and expand global communications coverage. Viasat's government space team will lead the work through its Defense and Advanced Technologies segment.

Rocket Lab Supplies Lightning-GEO Spacecraft Platform

Rocket Lab will deliver a geosynchronous version of its Lightning spacecraft platform for the Viasat satellite. The spacecraft will carry Viasat's dual-band X-band and Ka-band communications payload for protected military communications.

Rocket Lab is best known for its Electron small-satellite launch vehicle, but it has expanded into spacecraft manufacturing in recent years, including the Photon spacecraft that ferried NASA's CAPSTONE probe toward the Moon in 2022. Under the Viasat agreement, Rocket Lab will also supply several systems through its vertically integrated spacecraft manufacturing operations. Those systems include command radios, solar power equipment, star trackers, reaction wheels, and supporting flight software. The company will additionally provide the ground software needed to manage the spacecraft during operations.

Through the partnership, Viasat can combine its communications technology with an established satellite platform designed for demanding missions. The combined spacecraft will provide protected connectivity in environments where communications networks face electronic interference or disruption. Viasat designed its mini-GEO architecture to support secure links across several tactical communication requirements, while Rocket Lab's commercial spacecraft technology supports the Space Force's plan for a more distributed satellite network.

Viasat Expands Role in Protected Military Communications

Viasat will apply its satellite engineering experience to deliver communications technology suited to U.S. military requirements. The company has developed satellite systems serving both government and commercial communications markets worldwide, and it has a long record in military anti-jam communications, including development work on the Protected Tactical Waveform used in U.S. protected SATCOM efforts. Its 2023 acquisition of Inmarsat also deepened its government satellite communications business. The latest contract expands that experience into smaller geosynchronous spacecraft designed for protected tactical communications.

The Space Force issued Viasat's award through a competitive acquisition involving two separate delivery orders. That structure supports a diversified PTS-G architecture instead of reliance on a single satellite supplier, allowing the military to expand capacity while reducing dependence on larger and slower satellite development programs.

Beyond build and launch, Viasat's contract also includes five years of operations and sustainment services after the satellite enters service. Those responsibilities cover spacecraft control, network operations, telemetry, tracking, command functions, and cybersecurity requirements. With the Rocket Lab partnership in place, the project now moves closer to production and eventual deployment for protected global communications, with spacecraft assembly, payload integration, and launch preparations marking the next visible milestones.