The ESA – European Space Agency – has partnered with ViaSat for a £60m deal to create a super-high data capacity satellite to bring Wi-Fi to planes and areas currently plagued with super slow internet speeds.
The new ViaSat-3 satellite will be highest capacity communications satellite ever built with each satellite in the network offering 1-Terabit per second (Tbps) of network capacity – equivalent to the total capacity of all commercial satellites in space today!
ESA aims to foster space innovation and promote a strong space economy. As a global company with a growing presence in Europe, we are proud to partner and tap into the space interests of ESA, the Member States and European industry. Our new Public Private Partnership with ESA will develop and bring-to-market new satellite-based broadband technologies to ensure European citizens have access to affordable, high-quality internet services ViaSat Chairman and CEO, Mark Dankberg
In part, this is due to a boom in demand for fast wifi from the aviation industry. Last year, 6,000 aircraft worldwide offered Wi-Fi to their passengers. By 2021 this number will soar to 17,000,
However, closer to home the network should allow European users to access 100+ Megabits per second (Mbps) broadband speeds in their own home using a satellite link. A lifeline for those in hard to reach places who currently suffer from either poor service or lack of any availability.
