Viasat wins $460.9M NASA contract to develop small GEO Ka-band relay satellites replacing TDRS.

Viasat has been awarded a Phase 1 contract by NASA under the NEXUS initiative to develop small geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) Ka-band relay satellites. This contract, potentially worth up to $460.9 million, supports NASA's plan to transition space communications to commercial providers as it phases out its Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) fleet. Viasat will design an end-to-end relay satellite system to ensure continuity for current NASA missions and support future government and commercial space communications for at least 15 years. Further development and demonstration phases are expected over the next three years to deliver a high-performance commercial relay service.

Following the news of Viasat securing a Phase 1 contract under NASA's NEXUS initiative, VSAT shares have shown a modest gain. On Pluang, VSAT trades at USD 64.50, up 0.86% as of Nov 09, 2026 20:11 WIB. The stock holds a market cap of $8.81 billion and has a typical hold time of 8 days among Pluang investors.