ViaSat Inc. (Nasdaq: VSAT) has successfully demonstrated full-mesh satellite communications at Ka-band between an Australian Army deployable 1.0-metre Compact Transmit Receive Suite (CTRS) terminal located at the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) and a 48-cm communication-on-the-move (COTM) terminal located at BAE Systems Australia using a ViaSat LinkWayS2(tm) MF-TDMA satellite modem.

This demonstration further shows the ability of the LinkWayS2 modem to simultaneously support satellite communications with fixed site, at-the-halt, and on-the-move terminals within a single tactical LinkWay® network. The full-duplex mesh connection streamed high-definition video simultaneously in both directions between remote sites while the mobile satcom antenna was exercised on a multi-axis, full motion platform using the steerable Ka-band spot beam on the Optus C1 satellite. The LinkWayS2 master reference terminal for the demonstration originated from a fixed terminal with a DVB-S overlay sourced from another Ka transponder on Optus C1.

ViaSat’s mobile satcom products and technologies support customers that operate on its Yonder® worldwide service as well on their own networks. The LinkWay full-mesh communication system has been a satellite networking workhorse for U.S. defense over many years and with the addition of this new COTM capability, will increase its ability to provide network-centric operations, particularly over the Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) constellation. The COTM antenna was designed and developed as a concept technology demonstrator by EM Solutions Pty Limited based in Brisbane, Australia under contract to DSTO and has been successfully tested on an Australian Bushmaster Personnel Mobility Vehicle (PMV). “This is the first demonstration of Ka-band broadband communications-on-the-move using standard, off-the-shelf LinkWayS2 modems,” said Peter Weissmann, ViaSat business development manager for Australia and New Zealand. “This demonstration follows several very successful vehicular and airborne Ku-band mobile satcom demonstrations recently conducted in the U.S. It was also the first demonstration of the optional DVB overlay in a mobile setting, showing the versatility of the LinkWayS2 platform.”