U.S. Space Force Awards $438 Million Contracts to Viasat and Intelsat General

The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command announced a firm‑fixed‑price, indefinite‑delivery/indefinite‑quantity contract worth nearly $438 million for Viasat and Intelsat General (the U.S. unit of Luxembourg’s SES). The award covers design, development and delivery of spacecraft for the Protected Tactical Satellite‑Global (PTS‑G) program, with work to continue through March 2029.

Production of the PTS‑G bus and payload is slated to begin in fiscal year 2026, with the first satellite launch planned for 2028. The program targets initial operational capability in FY 2029 and full operational capability by FY 2031. PTS‑G satellites will employ dual‑band X/Ka‑band geostationary architecture and the Protected Tactical Waveform to provide resilient, anti‑jamming communications for tactical forces operating in contested environments. Other contractors receiving portions of the award include Boeing, Northrop Grumman and Astranis, and the Air Force has allocated $150 million of FY 2026 research, development, test and evaluation funding to the effort.