Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) has selected Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ: RKLB) to build a satellite bus for the U.S. Space Force's Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global (PTS-G) program, according to a joint press release issued Aug. 17, 2026.

Viasat was awarded a prime contract on May 22, 2026, to deliver a small, maneuverable geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) satellite under the program's first production award, called Swarm 1. The contract covers manufacturing, integration and testing, launch, and on-orbit checkout of the satellite system, along with five years of operations and sustainment services including tracking, telemetry and command, network operations, and cybersecurity.

Rocket Lab will supply a GEO configuration of its Lightning spacecraft platform to host Viasat's dual-band X/Ka-band payload. The Lightning-GEO platform incorporates Rocket Lab's own components including power systems, star trackers, reaction wheels, and flight and ground software.

Viasat's award is one of two delivery orders issued under a competitive acquisition process, reflecting the Space Force's stated strategy of building a diversified PTS-G satellite architecture.

Craig Miller, President of Viasat Government, said the partnership advances "a more agile and resilient GEO architecture designed to support mission-critical communications hot spots in contested environments." Rocket Lab Founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck said the program marks "an important milestone for this program and for Rocket Lab's growing role in national security space."

The work will be led by Viasat's government space team within its Defense and Advanced Technologies segment.