Viasat to support DOD's commercial-military hybrid space network for resilient communications tech
Questions and answers:
What is the purpose of the Hybrid Space Architecture program? The HSA program aims to integrate military, civil, and commercial space assets into a unified communications network to enhance connectivity, resilience, and real-time decision-making for U.S. military operations.
What role is Viasat playing in the HSA project? Viasat is prototyping and demonstrating technologies that enable seamless communication across government and commercial networks, including its NetAgility software-defined networking platform.
What technology is Viasat using to support HSA objectives? Viasat’s NetAgility platform provides dynamic, real-time routing of data across multi-orbit, multi-vendor satellite networks, optimizing performance and resilience in operational environments.
CARLSBAD, Calif., - Viasat Inc. in Carlsbad, Calif., has been selected by the Defense Innovation Unit to prototype and demonstrate technologies for the Hybrid Space Architecture program, a Department of Defense (DOD) initiative to integrate commercial, civil, and military space assets into a unified and resilient communications network.
The Hybrid Space Architecture, or HSA, is intended to enhance warfighter connectivity, situational awareness, and decision-making by enabling secure, multi-path communications across commercial and government networks. The program is led by the Defense Innovation Unit and U.S. Space Systems Command, in coordination with other DOD agencies and combatant commands.
Viasat will conduct prototype demonstrations over the next year in the U.S. Indo-Pacific, European, Central, and South Command areas of responsibility, with some activities beginning as early as this summer.
Under its Defense and Advanced Technologies segment, Viasat’s Resilient Space Missions team will focus on demonstrating inter-Network Maneuvering, a capability that allows seamless roaming across government and commercial networks. This supports interoperability objectives outlined in the U.S. Space Force’s Commercial Space Strategy, Doctrine Document, and Space Warfighting Framework.
Real-time routing
Viasat will use its NetAgility software-defined networking platform to enable real-time, dynamic routing of communications across multiple satellite orbits and vendor systems. The platform leverages real-time mission and network situational awareness to inform intelligent network selection and orchestration, aiming to maintain continuous space-based connectivity.
"We’re proud to be part of this joint effort between government and the commercial sector to bring modern, rapidly available hybrid network capabilities to the battlespace to increase resilience, protection, and provide warfighters with the real-time information they need," said Craig Miller, president of Viasat Government. "Our vision is to deliver agile, resilient capabilities that adapt in machine time to deter or overcome any adversary’s attack plans, making it impractical and self-defeating to consider conflict with U.S. or allied forces."
The HSA project uses agile acquisition methods to support the rapid integration, testing, and validation of commercial technologies, with the goal of piloting an operational hybrid commercial and government space architecture by 2026.
Jamie Whitney
Jamie Whitney joined the staff of Military & Aerospace Electronics and Intelligent Aerospace. He brings seven years of print newspaper experience to the aerospace and defense electronics industry.
Whitney oversees editorial content for the Intelligent Aerospace Website, as well as produce news and features for Military & Aerospace Electronics, attend industry events, produce Webcasts, oversee print production of Military & Aerospace Electronics, and expand the Intelligent Aerospace and Military & Aerospace Electronics franchises with new and innovative content.
