Global Xpress
Global Xpress (GX) forms part of our high-speed global, mobile Ka-band network.
High-speed, global connectivity for aviation, maritime, government and enterprise
Viasat’s high-speed Ka-band mobile, global broadband network is continually evolving to offer even more capacity, capabilities, and operational agility for customers now and well into the future.
Our award-winning Global Xpress services deliver the high bandwidth and reliability government, shipping and aviation customers around the world demand. The GX network is currently served by a fleet of six satellites, with an additional five GX communication payloads expected to join the constellation.
GX1-4
The GX1-3 satellites represented a giant leap forward in high-speed global, mobile broadband connectivity when the network achieved commercial service introduction in 2015. With the addition of GX4, the satellites provide high throughput services for maritime, aviation, government, and enterprise markets worldwide.
- GX1-4 were launched between 2013-2017
- Each satellite features 8 steerable spot beams and secure wideband mil-Ka beams
GX5
Constructed by Thales Alenia Space, GX5 was launched in 2019 and delivers more capacity than the entire GX1-GX4 fleet combined. The Very High Throughput Satellite (VHTS) was designed to meet the growing demand for coverage across Europe and the Middle East, for aviation in-flight Wi-Fi, and commercial maritime services.
GX6A
The advanced Ka-band payloads on our sixth-generation Inmarsat-6 satellites adds further depth to Global Xpress coverage, with targeted spotbeams that can deliver greater capacity when and where there is increased demand.
- Launched in 2021
- The hybrid satellite features a Ka-band and L-band communications payload
- 20 Ka-band spot beams can be directed to meet passenger demand in real time to provide coverage over the Indian Ocean
GX7, 8 & 9
The I-8s are expected to secure the future of our critical L-band safety services into the 2040s and beyond, providing additional capacity and resilience, alongside the I-6 satellites. The satellites are designed with radionavigation transponders for Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) services to enable precision tracking for safety navigation on aircraft and maritime safety and are expected to open new capabilities in machine-to-machine tracking for industries such as agriculture and transport.
GX10A & 10B
For airlines wanting the shortest possible flight paths and merchant fleets and energy companies taking advantage of better access, lack of reliable connectivity in the high north has been a barrier.
Two multi-beam, high-throughput communication payloads – GX10A & 10B – designed for operation in Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO), are expected to extend Viasat’s high-speed global network across the Arctic to answer growing customer demand in the region.
Our GX Arctic expansion is being delivered in partnership with Space Norway and its subsidiary Space Norway HEOSAT as part of the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission. The satellites carrying the GX payloads are built by Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems. Once in service, they are expected to provide the world’s first commercial broadband network dedicated to the Arctic and are designed to be compatible with current and future GX terminals.