The ViaSat-3 satellites are ultra-high-capacity communications satellites developed by Viasat as part of its global satellite internet network. The ViaSat-3 system consists of three Ka-band satellites designed to expand broadband capacity and improve connectivity for users worldwide. Each satellite operates in geostationary Earth orbit about 22,236 miles (35,786 km) above the equator, allowing continuous coverage of a large region of Earth. The satellites are designed to deliver secure and flexible bandwidth as part of Viasat’s communications network.

The ViaSat-3 constellation is designed so that each satellite can cover nearly one-third of the Earth’s surface. The three satellites are planned to serve different regions: the Americas, Europe–Middle East–Africa (EMEA), and the Asia-Pacific region. When all three satellites are operational, the system is intended to provide near-global broadband coverage. Each satellite is designed to deliver more than one terabit per second (Tbps) of network throughput, increasing the total capacity of Viasat’s satellite fleet.

ViaSat-3 satellites use dynamic beam-forming technology that allows bandwidth to be shifted between different locations depending on demand. This allows the satellites to concentrate capacity in areas where internet use is higher, such as airline routes, maritime shipping lanes, or densely populated regions. The satellites are designed with more than 25 kilowatts of power and are intended to support broadband internet speeds exceeding 100 Mbps for users.

The first satellite in the series, ViaSat‑3 Flight 1, launched in 2023 on a Falcon Heavy rocket. These satellites are intended to expand Viasat’s broadband services for aircraft, ships, governments, businesses, and residential users.

Courtesy of ViaSat Inc. Photo courtesy of Boeing/Erik Isakson.

Falcon Heavy is designed and manufactured by SpaceX in Hawthorne, California. It is derived from the Falcon 9 vehicle and consists of a strengthened Falcon 9 first stage as a central core with two additional first stages as strap-on boosters.

Stats

Total launches: 11

Total landings: 19

Total reflights: 16

Specs

Height: 70m / 229.6ft

Width: 12.2m / 39.9ft

Mass: 1,420,788kg / 3,125,735lb

Payload to LEO: 63,800 kg / 140,660 lb

Payload to GEO: 26,700 kg / 58,860 lb

Payload to Mars: 16,800 kg / 37,040 lb

Lineage

SpaceX conducted Falcon Heavy's first launch on February 6th, 2018, at 3:45 PM EST. The rocket carried a Tesla Roadster belonging to SpaceX founder Elon Musk, with a dummy dubbed "Starman" in the driver's seat.

The second Falcon Heavy launch occurred on April 11th, 2019. This launch successfully launched the Arabsat-6A satellite and all three booster rockets successfully returned to Earth except but the center core subsequently fell over and was lost during transport due to heavy seas.

The third Falcon Heavy launch successfully occurred on June 25th, 2019. This mission successfully launched multiple payloads including USAF STP-2, a space memorial for Celestis, and Lightsail-2. The mission also supported the U.S. Air Force National Security Space Launch certification process for the Falcon Heavy. The side boosters were successfully recovered but the center core failed to land and was destroyed on impact with the Atlantic Ocean.

The fourth Falcon Heavy mission, USSF-44 for the U.S. Space Force, successfully launched on November 1st, 2022 from Kennedy Space Center.

The fifth Falcon Heavy mission launched USSF-67 on January 15th, 2023.

The soxth Falcon Heavy mission launched ViaSat-3 Americas on April 30th, 2023.

The seventh Falcon Heavy mission launched EchoStar 24 (Jupiter 3) on July 28th, 2023.

The eighth Falcon Heavy mission launched Psyche on October 13th, 2023.

Photo by SpaceX/Ben Cooper

Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) is a historic launch site located at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Originally constructed in the late 1960s, LC-39A was designed to support the Apollo program, including the groundbreaking Apollo 11 mission that first landed humans on the Moon in 1969. The pad also played a crucial role in launching Skylab missions and was instrumental during the Space Shuttle era, including the launch of the first Space Shuttle, Columbia, on STS-1 in 1981.

In 2014, SpaceX leased LC-39A from NASA and undertook extensive refurbishments to adapt the pad for its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. These upgrades involved significant modifications to the pad's infrastructure to meet the requirements of SpaceX’s rockets. Since then, LC-39A has become a vital launch site for SpaceX, supporting a range of missions including crewed flights under NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

Under SpaceX's management, LC-39A has been the site of several landmark events. It hosted the first Falcon 9 launch from the pad on March 30, 2017, and was the launch site for the historic Falcon Heavy debut on February 6, 2018, which was the most powerful rocket in operation at that time. Additionally, LC-39A was the launch site for the first crewed flight of the Crew Dragon spacecraft on May 30, 2020, marking the first crewed spaceflight from U.S. soil since the end of the Shuttle program.

Today, LC-39A remains a critical asset for SpaceX, supporting both crewed and uncrewed missions. It continues to serve as a launch site for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets and is expected to play a central role in future missions, including those aimed at lunar exploration and beyond. The pad's rich history and ongoing significance highlight its importance in the broader context of space exploration.

Photo courtesy of Jenny Hautmann for Supercluster

Landing Zone 2 (LZ-2) and Landing Zone 40 (LZ-40) are SpaceX booster landing pads located at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. These landing zones are used for returning first-stage boosters from Falcon 9 and the side boosters of Falcon Heavy rockets. Either pad can support a single Falcon 9 landing, while both pads together allow simultaneous landings of Falcon Heavy’s two side boosters. They replaced the earlier Landing Zone 1 after its lease expired.

Landing Zone 2 (LZ-2) is an 85-meter-wide circular landing pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It is located about 5 miles from LZ-40 and is used during missions that require two boosters to return to land.

Landing Zone 40 (LZ-40) is another circular landing pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It was completed in 2025 and is located about 1,000 feet from Space Launch Complex 40, the launch site used by Falcon 9 rockets.

Photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force.