Reducing launch telemetry blackouts and maintaining consistent communications with Viasat InRange

Today's launch operations rely upon ground stations to maintain communications and monitor vehicle performance. However, operators often experience “blackouts” when the launch vehicle moves outside of an area covered by Earth-based connections. With launches increasing in frequency, it is critical that launch telemetry solutions evolve to eliminate communications blackouts, ensure consistent connections with and monitoring of launch vehicles to ensure performance and safety. Viasat’s Defense and Advanced Technologies (DAT) segment embarked on an engineering mission to deliver a solution that addresses these challenges. The result, Viasat’s new HaloNetTM Launch Telemetry Data Relay Service (DRS), delivers a revolutionary transparent data relay capability, ensuring real-time continuous telemetry communications during launch ascent. In this paper, Viasat will discuss how it is addressing launch support challenges, and collaborating with launch operators, current and prospective customers, and other key stakeholders. The paper will also provide detailed insights into the system architecture and its intentional design to address current and future concerns as new technologies are introduced, and as Viasat launches the InRange Launch Telemetry DRS service into the market.