Viasat stands at the forefront of satellite communications, driving innovation across orbital domains with a global footprint that spans GEO, MEO, and LEO constellations. As enterprise infrastructure, defense operations, and commercial broadband solutions demand increasingly agile networks, the pressure on space-based connectivity systems to deliver uninterrupted, high-capacity data transport intensifies.

Responding to these evolving needs, Viasat has introduced HaloNet—a transformative space communications platform engineered for multi-orbit interoperability. Designed to support persistent, dynamic routing across diverse satellite networks, HaloNet sets a new benchmark for scalable, flexible connectivity that adapts in real-time to mission-critical requirements.

From enhancing command-and-control capabilities in defense to optimizing enterprise cloud applications across continents, HaloNet changes what’s possible in space communications architecture. Curious how it works or what sectors stand to benefit the most?

Meet HaloNet: Viasat’s New Space Communications Platform

Redefining Global Connectivity at Launch

Viasat officially introduced HaloNet as its next-generation space communications platform, signaling a decisive step toward fully integrated, multi-orbit connectivity. The initial rollout establishes HaloNet as more than a product—it’s a foundational infrastructure strategy meant to reshape global satellite communication dynamics. By strategically aligning this launch with evolving data demands and orbital diversity, Viasat positions itself to deliver uninterrupted communications across commercial, enterprise, and government domains.

A Platform Engineered from Proven Capabilities

HaloNet does not emerge in isolation. It builds on core technologies developed through decades of Viasat’s leadership in satellite communications. From supplying inflight Wi-Fi to directing secure government networks, Viasat’s systems consistently demonstrate resilience and scale. HaloNet continues that trajectory, embedding intelligence, adaptability, and robust throughput at its core.

Integrated by Design—Across LEO, MEO, GEO Orbits

Single-orbit systems can’t support today’s dynamic data workflows. HaloNet answers this challenge by providing native multi-orbit capability. Whether operating in low earth orbit (LEO) for latency-sensitive applications, expanding coverage through medium earth orbit (MEO), or maintaining high-throughput backbones via geostationary orbit (GEO), HaloNet synchronizes them into a seamless operational layer. This enables real-time data routing and bandwidth allocation regardless of the user’s location or motion in space and time.

Modular Framework for Scalable Deployments

HaloNet's architecture is built to flex. Its modular system design allows for tailored configurations that adapt to the specific needs of different industries and mission profiles. Ground systems, onboard terminals, antennas, and software-defined networking elements work in concert but can be deployed independently. This enables phased rollouts, faster field integration, and future-forward upgrades—all while minimizing entry barriers for adopters.

A Pillar in Viasat’s Expanding Space Portfolio

HaloNet strengthens Viasat’s accelerating position in the space infrastructure market. It complements spacecraft services, managed networks, and secure communication offerings, becoming the connective layer that unites orbital strategy with terrestrial goals. With HaloNet in the portfolio, Viasat can now orchestrate hybrid networks that stretch from ground to sky to orbit—on demand and on scale.

• Synchronizes multiple orbital assets for uninterrupted coverage
• Functions on a modular, reconfigurable architecture
• Built on decades of operational excellence in satellite communications
• Supports both commercial and strategic mission use-cases
• Integrates into Viasat’s ecosystem for seamless end-to-end management

What happens when satellites, software, and ground stations function as one seamless network? HaloNet offers the answer—on a global scale, with orbital agility built into its very core.

The Technology Driving HaloNet’s Multi-Orbit Innovation

Multi-Orbit Satellite Network Capability

HaloNet connects across multiple orbital regimes—Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and Geostationary Orbit (GEO)—creating a flexible backbone for diverse mission demands. Its ability to intelligently route traffic through the most efficient orbital path means network designers no longer have to choose between speed, resilience, or coverage. HaloNet unifies the orbital landscape into a seamless mesh.

Seamless Switching and Routing

Within the HaloNet environment, traffic handoffs between orbits happen automatically and in real time. By leveraging software-defined networking (SDN) principles, the platform sustains continuous connectivity even when switching among satellites moving at different speeds and altitudes. Packets dynamically shift between LEO’s low latency, MEO’s balanced coverage, and GEO’s high-throughput persistence—no human intervention required.

Dynamic Optimization for Bandwidth, Latency, and Congestion

HaloNet's intelligent control layer analyzes network conditions on the fly. When congestion flares or latency spikes, the system redirects data traffic along less constrained orbital paths. This real-time decision-making engine balances bandwidth demands with performance thresholds. For high-throughput data transfers, it prioritizes capacity; for time-sensitive missions, it minimizes delay. The result: sustained service integrity under rapidly changing link conditions.

Inter-Satellite Link Technology

• Autonomous Data Routing: HaloNet's satellites are equipped with inter-satellite links (ISLs), using laser and RF-based connectivity for high-rate, low-latency exchanges. Data hops directly between satellites without touching Earth, enabling networks to operate with reduced ground control dependency.
• Minimized Ground Infrastructure: By shifting the routing process into space, HaloNet reduces the load on terrestrial infrastructure. Fewer ground stations and shorter downlink windows streamline global operations, especially in regions with limited or contested access.
• Resilience in Remote and Contested Theaters: In environments where terrestrial assets are compromised or unavailable, HaloNet maintains communication links through space-based routing. This provides a continuous communications layer that is difficult to disrupt—critical for defense and disaster recovery missions.

Modular System Architecture

HaloNet's architecture is built for flexibility. Its modular layout supports rapid configuration changes, allowing operators to scale or tailor network capabilities depending on operational requirements. New payloads or third-party systems integrate smoothly, without overhauling the existing infrastructure.

• Commercial, Enterprise, and Defense Scalability: The platform adapts to diverse use cases—from global financial institutions requiring secure backups, to space agencies conducting interplanetary research, to defense organizations securing command networks across multi-domain operations.
• Terrestrial Interoperability: Designed to align with Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) and other terrestrial systems, HaloNet enables seamless extension from Earth-based digital ecosystems into orbit. Businesses and governments don't need to rip and replace legacy architecture—HaloNet plugs in.

Multi-Orbit Coverage: LEO + GEO + the Hybrid Edge

Low Earth Orbit (LEO): Prioritizing Speed and Throughput

LEO satellites orbit at altitudes between 500 and 2,000 kilometers. Operating in this low-altitude zone allows them to reduce round-trip signal time dramatically. The latency averages between 30 to 50 milliseconds—far lower than traditional satellite links. This characteristic makes LEO star constellations ideal for real-time operational environments that demand fast uplink and downlink performance, like live video feeds, tactical field operations, and drone coordination. Viasat's integration of LEO assets within HaloNet focuses on maximizing throughput while maintaining latency-sensitive performance.

Geostationary Orbit (GEO): Delivering Range and Stability

At 35,786 kilometers above the equator, GEO satellites maintain a fixed position relative to Earth’s surface, enabling uninterrupted coverage over broad regions. While GEO links involve higher latency—typically around 600 milliseconds—they excel in delivering consistent service to wide areas without the need for ground-based tracking systems. These satellites form the strategic backbone of the HaloNet platform, reinforcing coverage in regions with sparse infrastructure and providing essential long-haul connectivity for defense, maritime, and enterprise users operating across continents.

The Hybrid Network: Intelligent Layering for Continuity and Prioritization

HaloNet doesn’t treat LEO and GEO as standalone assets. It fuses them into a hybrid architecture managed by software-defined orchestration tools. These tools assess link conditions, traffic priorities, and application requirements in real time, dynamically routing data through the optimal orbital path. The result: seamless failover when a link degrades, intelligent load balancing across network layers, and prioritization of critical traffic—whether that’s live ISR data from a battlefield edge node or command-and-control traffic for autonomous mining operations.

Edge Benefits in Demanding Environments

This multi-orbit synergy strengthens HaloNet’s utility in operational contexts where near-zero downtime is mandatory. Consider mobile command posts in conflict zones, offshore drilling platforms, or extreme-weather logistics hubs. In these environments, the ability to switch traffic between satellite layers without interruption ensures mission continuity. HaloNet’s architectural redundancy, paired with forward-deployed edge computing nodes, creates an adaptive communications shell around users—keeping them connected even in the most adversarial or remote settings.

Viasat’s Portfolio Strategy: Unlocking Integration and Innovation

HaloNet doesn’t operate in isolation—it generates value by amplifying Viasat’s existing technology stack. Rather than building a standalone solution, Viasat engineered HaloNet as a connective layer that unifies its global holdings into a coherent, adaptive communications network. This strategy deepens interoperability across orbits, terrains, and user sectors.

Extending the Value of GEO: ViaSat-3 Synergies

HaloNet’s architecture was built with an awareness of Viasat’s flagship GEO assets. The ViaSat-3 constellation, which includes global and regional beams for dynamic capacity delivery, gains added resilience through HaloNet’s multi-orbit steering capabilities. When demand surges or GEO conditions limit availability, HaloNet can reroute traffic through LEO and MEO channels instantaneously—preserving service levels without geographic disruption.

Interfacing Seamlessly with Inmarsat Networks

Viasat’s acquisition of Inmarsat introduced a rich set of L-band, Ka-band, and Global Xpress assets. HaloNet integrates these constellations, unifying legacy systems under a single control plane. This eliminates inefficiencies associated with managing siloed networks and expands the operational use cases of Inmarsat's infrastructure beyond standalone maritime or aviation verticals.

Blending Space and Ground with Fiber and 5G

Compatibility with terrestrial networks further enhances HaloNet’s versatility. By integrating with Viasat’s terrestrial fiber investments and emerging 5G partnerships, it extends bandwidth capabilities into hybrid zones where orbital coverage overlaps with ground-based throughput. The result: seamless handoffs between satellite and terrestrial ecosystems, minimizing latency and maximizing uptime.

Unified Platform for Enterprise and Government Clients

The strategic value of HaloNet lies in its dual-market readiness. Viasat has designed it to satisfy both enterprise SLAs and classified government requirements. The same platform can support secure ISR operations in a combat zone and then deliver broadband inflight connectivity for commercial jets over the Pacific. No duplication, no divergence—just scalability with precision.

Bridging Mobile, Maritime, Aviation, and Defense

• Mobile: High-speed transitions in handoff zones eliminate coverage drops for users on the move.
• Maritime: Real-time route optimization through hybrid orbital coverage patches holes in open waters.
• Aviation: Beam switching between orbits maintains consistent experience from gate to gate, even over polar routes.
• Defense: Tactical theaters receive redundant link availability for high-priority command and control data.

Dynamically Scalable Bandwidth

Bandwidth-on-demand becomes actionable with HaloNet’s intelligent orchestration. The system evaluates user requirements, environmental variables, and orbital capacity in real time. Then it scales delivery dynamically—not just increasing throughput, but doing so intelligently across orbits, frequencies, and routes. This means real-time video surveillance streams, encrypted data sets, and thousands of passenger connections flow simultaneously without bottlenecks.

Fortified in Orbit: HaloNet’s Secure and Resilient Communications Framework

End-to-End Encryption with Defense-Grade Protocols

HaloNet integrates military-standard encryption protocols across every transmission point. From the originating terminal to orbital satellites and ground-based infrastructure, traffic remains encrypted using algorithms conforming to NSA Type 1 encryption standards. This includes Suite B cryptography and quantum-resistant algorithms where applicable, ensuring future-proof data transport.

All links, whether in low Earth orbit (LEO), geostationary Earth orbit (GEO), or hybrid links crossing orbital domains, enforce encryption at both the data-link and network layers. This setup guarantees that even intercepted signals will yield no decryptable payloads without authorized access keys.

Tamper-Resistant Links Across Space and Ground

HaloNet leverages a hardened transport layer that resists tampering at both the software and hardware level. Satellites maintain secure boot protocols and telemetry monitoring, while Earth-based stations integrate intrusion detection systems tailored to prevent unauthorized access to data processing nodes.

Network architecture includes rigorous node authentication and session-based encryption key rotation. These design choices reduce exposure time for potential breaches and limit the attack surface across space-ground interfaces.

Strategic Defense Communication Integration

In operational theaters, real-time data movement between tactical edge units, command centers, and strategic decision-makers faces no latency-based bottlenecks thanks to HaloNet’s orbital diversity. Viasat enables synchronization between battlefield sensors and high-command communications layers via a secure, multi-layered routing model tailored for defense environments.

• Secure tactical uplinks from handheld or vehicle-mounted systems
• Real-time ISR coordination through persistent LEO relays
• Synchronized GEO link fallback paths for mission continuity

This framework supports seamless inter-theater exchanges, encrypted mission briefings, and satellite-enabled C2 communications without risking exposure to third-party interception.

Global Network Redundancy Built into the Architecture

HaloNet’s backbone employs multi-orbit diversity not merely for coverage but to embed resilience into the system. LEO and GEO assets collaborate dynamically to preserve packet delivery even under stress — whether environmental, mechanical, or conflict-driven.

Each node carries active topology awareness data. When a link destabilizes, alternate routes activate automatically, reestablishing end-to-end delivery using real-time path computation. The mesh network reorients within milliseconds, maintaining ultra-low packet loss during active rerouting.

Resilience Anchored in Orbital Diversity

System strength derives from dispersion as much as encryption. Distributed satellite arrays across orbital planes create overlapping communication grids. If one falls offline, the others adjust the constellation’s geometry to ensure consistent throughput and latency stability. This process operates without human intervention, powered by on-platform AI-based telemetry analysis.

Operators benefit from uninterrupted service even during targeted jamming attempts, solar events, or orbital collisions. Powered by segment redundancy and automatic route mediation, HaloNet absorbs shocks without compromising link integrity or data confidentiality.

Autonomous Path Rerouting During Adverse Events

When communications are challenged—whether by natural interference, terrestrial outages, or intentional disruption—HaloNet engages its autonomous routing systems. Using mission-specific SLAs as criteria, the network selects the best-performing paths in real time, optimizing both speed and cryptographic conformity.

• Redundant routing through unaffected satellites ensures uninterrupted throughput
• Latency-sensitive applications benefit from real-time switching to optimal links
• Surveillance of interference sources supports proactive mitigation in geo-fenced zones

By combining autonomy with encrypted adaptability, HaloNet delivers a communications platform tailored for volatile theaters and sensitive missions — where failure is not an option, and performance must remain consistent under duress.

Connectivity Reimagined: Enterprise & Commercial Applications

Enterprise Connectivity Solutions

Viasat’s HaloNet platform enables enterprises to break free from terrestrial dependency by extending high-performance connectivity into some of the world's most demanding operational environments. Built on multi-orbit architecture, HaloNet serves as a flexible solution for industries where constant, high-throughput, and low-latency connectivity is non-negotiable.

Remote Operations Across Sectors

Remote industries—mining in the Australian outback, drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, shipping routes across Atlantic corridors, or long-haul aviation across intercontinental routes—demand fail-safe connectivity. HaloNet delivers this by dynamically balancing traffic across geostationary and low Earth orbit links, ensuring uninterrupted service across oceanic, desert, and polar regions.

• Mining and energy operations leverage HaloNet's global reach to maintain connections between rugged field sites and centralized command centers.
• Maritime fleets use the platform's mobile coverage to coordinate logistics, monitor weather, and maintain crew communications across international waters.
• Commercial aviation benefits from steady data streams that allow real-time telemetry, predictive maintenance, and in-flight connectivity for passengers and crew alike.

Smart Integration of IoT and Edge Devices

High-density IoT environments depend on distributed sensing and computation. HaloNet connects edge devices with edge compute nodes, synchronizing data aggregation across platforms tens of thousands of kilometers apart. This architecture supports use cases such as automated pipeline monitoring, autonomous vehicle coordination in remote terrains, and predictive equipment diagnostics across distributed facilities.

Establishing a Commercial Communications Backbone

Beyond specific industries, HaloNet functions as a commercial-grade communications backbone that supports new-generation broadband infrastructures. With intelligent, adaptive routing mechanisms, the platform actively selects optimal transmission paths based on congestion, priority, or latency sensitivity. As a result, end-users experience smoother video, faster page loads, and consistently reliable cloud application performance—even in non-urban regions.

Driving Digital Transformation for Corporations

HaloNet doesn’t just connect; it transforms infrastructure. Multinational corporations overlay HaloNet as an ultra-resilient backbone that supplements their terrestrial network slices. In scenarios where fiber is unavailable or disrupted, the HaloNet route activates instantly, preserving business continuity and critical application uptime.

Through its Cloud×Orbit initiative, Viasat leverages HaloNet to extend cloud-native services into lower orbits. This allows corporations to deploy microservice architectures, containerized applications, and edge data lakes that operate in space-native environments. Decision-making happens closer to the data sources, reducing latency and improving real-time analytics—on Earth, in the air, and beyond.

Strategic Communication Layer for Defense: HaloNet’s Tactical Edge

Purpose-Built for Mission-Critical Defense Operations

HaloNet's architecture incorporates military-grade redundancy and situational adaptability, enabling operational continuity in high-threat, contested environments. By distributing communication pathways across geosynchronous (GEO), low Earth orbit (LEO), and future medium Earth orbit (MEO) constellations, the platform avoids single points of failure and ensures consistent performance even during electronic warfare, network disruption, or kinetic attack scenarios.

Designed to accommodate evolving defense communication requirements, HaloNet integrates hardened hardware modules, encrypted link-layer protocols, and intelligent system failover. This foundation supports defense forces operating in forward-deployed locations, where ruggedized communication backbones are essential and latency can determine mission success.

Interoperability with Allied Space and Ground Systems

HaloNet aligns with multinational coalition standards, offering native interoperability with U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) systems, NATO C4ISR architectures, and Five Eyes communications frameworks. Through shared interface protocols like Link-16, MIL-STD-1553B, and future Integrated Tactical Networks, HaloNet becomes a seamless extension of existing defense infrastructure.

Its agility across multilateral systems allows coalition forces to maintain a common operating picture, streamline command execution, and respond faster to dynamic threats. Joint operations benefit directly from this unified communications backbone—across joint task forces, naval fleets, expeditionary forces, and airborne command units.

Force Multiplication for C2, ISR, and Edge Deployments

In command and control (C2) scenarios, HaloNet enables split-second coordination between headquarters and tactical nodes operating at the periphery of contested zones. With robust support for real-time ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) data flow—from small unmanned aerial systems to high-altitude platforms—the platform boosts situational awareness while compressing decision cycles.

Deployed units gain persistent edge connectivity even in bandwidth-deprived theatres. Whether it's relaying sensor telemetry from remote outposts or syncing logistics between command brigades and autonomous vehicles, HaloNet maintains reliable, secure data exchange without interruption.

Mobility Across All Operational Domains

HaloNet delivers SATCOM mobility across land, sea, air, and space platforms. Integrated waveform switching and adaptive beamforming give warfighters seamless handoffs between moving assets and orbital layers. Ground convoys, naval strike groups, fifth-generation fighter aircraft, and low Earth orbit satellites can all tap into a shared mesh of high-throughput, dynamically-routed communication links.

This mobile edge capability ensures tactical flexibility while reducing latency and improving bandwidth allocation. Multi-domain operations—now a priority across Western defense postures—require this kind of connectivity fluidity to unite assets during distributed, high-velocity engagement conditions.

Pathways to Defense Collaboration and Innovation

Viasat positions HaloNet as a modular, open-system gateway for defense innovation. Through strategic partnerships with defense agencies, prime contractors, and classified stakeholders, the platform enables rapid fielding of next-generation tactical communication technologies. This includes AI-enhanced traffic optimization, quantum-resistant encryption methods, and satellite-based cloud edge processing.

Initiatives such as the U.S. DoD’s Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) and NATO’s Federated Mission Networking (FMN) stand to benefit from HaloNet’s scalable integration paths. Its layered, resilient architecture supports both legacy upfit and digital-first deployments, making it a high-value node in the tactical communications ecosystem.

The Future of Space Communications: Viasat’s Vision

Viasat is mapping out a future where space communication no longer plays a supporting role, but stands at the forefront of global connectivity architectures. The company’s long-term strategy for HaloNet extends far beyond multi-orbit access—it envisions an evolution toward an intelligent, responsive, and highly autonomous data network in space.

Smart Space Infrastructure: AI-Driven and Autonomous

Central to Viasat’s roadmap is the transition from static satellite connections to dynamic, software-defined networks. Machine learning algorithms will drive real-time routing decisions, making use of autonomous in-orbit switching to shift data streams between low Earth orbit (LEO), geostationary orbit (GEO), and medium Earth orbit (MEO) assets based on latency, congestion, and operational need.

By embedding AI directly within satellites, Viasat aims to reduce reliance on Earth-based control and drastically improve decision-making speed. This move will lead to a significant increase in bandwidth utilization efficiency and lower end-to-end data path latency.

Orbit Meets Earth: Linking Space to Terrestrial Intelligence

HaloNet will not operate in isolation. Backend systems will integrate with terrestrial AI/ML platforms to forecast demand spikes, predict link degradation, and initiate pre-emptive rerouting. These systems will ingest telemetry, meteorological models, and real-world usage trends to enable predictive analytics at planetary scale.

This fusion of orbital and terrestrial intelligence will redefine how governments, enterprises, and mobility platforms manage mission-critical communications under variable conditions.

Next-Gen Security and Resilience: Built for Tomorrow

Beyond throughput and reach, Viasat continues to prioritize the hardening of its infrastructure. Future implementations of HaloNet will include quantum-resistant encryption frameworks and zero-trust architectures directly embedded at the hardware and software layers. The goal: maintain continuity of service during both cyber and kinetic threat scenarios, with real-time adaptive failover across orbital assets.

From Backup to Backbone: Shifting the Paradigm

Historically, satellite links filled the gaps when terrestrial networks failed. Viasat aims to reverse that hierarchy. With HaloNet, space-based communication will step into a primary role, specifically for sectors where resilience, mobility, and reach are non-negotiable—aviation, maritime, defense, disaster response, and infrastructure-free connectivity zones.

Enabling the Space-as-a-Service Economy

Viasat positions HaloNet as a foundational layer in the emerging Space-as-a-Service (SaaS) model. Instead of acquiring and managing proprietary satellite infrastructure, organizations can subscribe to flexible data transport capabilities with guaranteed performance characteristics across orbits.

• Telecommunications providers can offload congested terrestrial traffic.
• Logistics operators can track global assets in near real-time.
• Enterprises can ensure continuous data flow across continents with orbital redundancy baked in.

Every launch, every AI module deployed, every predictive algorithm onboard moves HaloNet closer to a fully autonomous, on-demand space network that reshapes how the world communicates.

HaloNet Signals a New Era of Multi-Orbit Global Connectivity

Viasat’s launch of the HaloNet platform marks a decisive step in redefining the space communications landscape. By building a multi-orbit, modular connectivity platform, Viasat positions itself not only as a satellite operator, but as a full-stack network solutions provider for the orbital future. HALONet doesn’t merely expand capacity—it transcends traditional orbital limitations and re-engineers how global links are made, maintained, and optimized.

This platform answers the rising complexity in communication demands across defense operations, enterprise infrastructures, and international institutions. From latency-sensitive applications in autonomous systems to high-assurance, secure communications across hostile theaters, HaloNet aligns with the operational tempo and performance requirements modern networks demand. It adapts, routes, and integrates across orbits and protocols—without compromising uptime or intelligence-gathering cadence.

Global commerce thrives on uninterrupted digital throughput. Government agencies require layered resiliency across contested domains. Enterprises demand dynamic, performant network backbones to scale edge computing and analytics. HaloNet aligns with each of these strategic imperatives. Not in theory, but in network architecture, real-time routing logic, and commercial-grade service level agreements that span from low Earth orbit to geostationary orbit.

The modularity of HaloNet’s design allows partners to tailor integration—not just plug in. Satellite manufacturers, network architects, and security strategists gain a reconfigurable framework. HaloNet enables real-time mission adaptability without sacrificing throughput or coverage envelope. Viasat opens the platform for defense primes, telecom operators, and technology ecosystems seeking infrared-to-ground, sea-to-cloud, or cross-domain orchestration at orbital scale.

Global industry stakeholders—from national governments and federal space programs to system integrators—face a clear question. How will their architectures interoperate in an orbitally converged future? HaloNet offers a definitive path forward: unify into a multi-orbit fabric, deliver intelligence at the edge, and accelerate mission readiness beyond terrestrial limits.