AV-100: ULA Atlas V Launches ViaSat-3 F2 Communication Satellite To Orbit

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the 5,900-kilogram ViaSat-3 Flight 2 satellite lifted off from Space Launch Complex-41 (SLC-41), Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 0304 UTC on Thursday (Nov. 14) on AV-100 mission.

The Atlas V 551 configuration, powered by five solid rocket boosters and an RD-180 main engine, generated approximately 2.7 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. After the first stage burn and separation of the solid rocket boosters and payload fairings, the Centaur upper stage performed a series of burns to place the satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).

The upper stage completed the initial burn to achieve a parking orbit, followed by a second burn to inject the payload into an intermediate GTO, with the final deployment of the ViaSat-3 F2 satellite occurring approximately 3.5 hours after liftoff.

The ViaSat-3 F2 satellite, built on Boeing’s 702MP+ platform using electric propulsion and solar arrays from Spectrolab, is designed to add more than 1 terabit per second (Tbps) of capacity to Viasat’s network over the Americas. It will operate in geostationary orbit (GEO), located approximately 35,786 kilometers above Earth, where its orbital speed matches Earth’s rotation, allowing it to remain fixed over a specific region. The satellite will spend several months using its onboard propulsion system to maneuver from GTO to its final GEO position, with full service expected to begin in early 2026.

Each ViaSat-3 satellite is "designed to be capable of rapidly shifting capacity throughout its coverage area to deliver bandwidth where and when it’s needed most," Viasat, a California-based telecom company, wrote in a description of the mini constellation.

"This is important to meet the increasing demand of commercial, consumer and defense customers, where the location of high-demand hotspots can change over the course of the day," the company added.

According to that description, ViaSat-3 F1 provides connectivity primarily to airline passengers. ViaSat-3 F2 will "add more than 1 Tbps capacity to our network over the Americas," and ViaSat-3 F3 will do the same for the Asia-Pacific region.

This mission marks a significant step in Viasat’s multi-orbit satellite network, enhancing connectivity for consumer, commercial, and government customers through dynamic beam forming capabilities that allow real-time bandwidth allocation to high-demand areas. The successful launch follows the earlier deployment of ViaSat-3 F1 in April 2023, which experienced antenna issues that delayed service and reduced capacity. A third satellite, ViaSat-3 F3, is scheduled for launch next year to serve the Asia-Pacific region.

The Atlas V rocket, which has flown over 100 missions since its 2002 debut, is scheduled for retirement around 2030, with ULA transitioning to its Vulcan Centaur rocket for future missions.

AV-100 was the 105th flight of the Atlas V rocket and the second in the ViaSat-3 series. It was delayed from its original November 5 target due to an issue with a vent valve in the Atlas V’s liquid oxygen tank, requiring the rocket to be rolled back, the valve replaced, and the vehicle returned to the pad.