Viasat:
A STORY OF POWERING HIGH-PERFORMANCE SATELLITE GATEWAY ANTENNAS.
VIASAT: A GLOBAL ENABLER OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE SATELLITE GROUND CONNECTIVITY
Satellite communication continues to evolve rapidly, and so do the expectations placed on ground networks. For Viasat, designing and delivering high-performance reflector antennas for ground-based satellite gateways is part of supporting this growing global infrastructure. These antennas may not be visible to most people, but they quietly enable the flow of data that supports Earth observation missions, commercial Satcom services, and multi-orbit networks that benefit society in practical, everyday ways.
Gateway antennas for today’s networks
High gain and broadband performance can only reliably be delivered with reflector antenna technology, and these are key metrics of value in today’s telecommunication market. Viasat has a well-established heritage in the field of reflector antennas for ground stations. One area of focus for Viasat involves gateway reflector antennas with diameters in the 3–6 metre range, particularly those equipped with novel and innovative dual- and tri-band feed systems.
These antennas are used to handle high-capacity downlinks for Earth observation and support new and expanding Satcom constellations. Multi-band capability is increasingly important, especially with the rise of LEO (Low Earth Orbit) constellations, where the volume of data transmitted to ground networks has grown significantly. By consolidating multiple bands into a single system, Viasat’s antennas help operators receive more data with fewer physical installations, supporting infrastructure that can scale more efficiently.
Creating wideband feed systems for dual- and tri-band antennas
A key part of Viasat’s product advantage lies in its feed designs. These dual- and tri-band feeds combine multiple frequency bands within a single aperture, enabling operation across extremely wide bandwidths — from 2 to 30 GHz in some cases. This level of integration is uncommon in the industry and allows for flexible and compact solutions.
Designing these feeds is highly demanding as RF and antenna performance must be maintained across multiple bands and wide scan angles. To achieve this, Viasat relies on simulation-driven workflows and extensive use of TICRA Tools to design, explore, and optimise the feed systems from concept through to final product.
Electromagnetic design at scale
The electromagnetic (EM) modelling and optimisation work performed by Viasat’s engineers for these gateway terminal antennas is carried out using TICRA’s CHAMP 3D, GRASP, and ESTEAM software. In combination, these products form a powerful toolset that allows Viasat to handle complex antenna systems with a wide variety of EM modelling challenges.
By using TICRA’s state-of-the-art higher-order solvers — including BoR-MoM (Body-of-Revolution Method of Moments) and MLFMM (Multilevel Fast Multipole Method) — Viasat is able to simulate electrically large structures and optimise performance early in the process, without requiring access to high-performance computing clusters or compromising on accuracy.
This accelerates development while supporting confident decision-making at every design stage, and forms a crucial part of Viasat’s workflow.
Supporting real missions
Today, Viasat’s multi-band reflector antennas are active in Earth observation and Satcom ground systems across the world. Across these missions, the goal remains the same: deliver high-performance systems that enhance the capacity of satellite networks while remaining stable and reliable.
As Viasat puts it:
“TICRA’s software enables us to perform complex electromagnetic simulations with high confidence. Without these tools, we would not be able to optimise our feed systems or reflector performance in the same way.”
Customer profile: VIASAT
Global Communications | Services, Solutions & Satellite Internet | Viasat
Viasat is a global communications company that designs and operates advanced satellite networks. In addition to its in-orbit space segment, Viasat designs and maintains high-performance antenna systems for gateway terminals and user equipment. The company plays a key role in supporting commercial, government, and defence customers through innovations in broadband satellite services and ground-based infrastructure.