Viasat has received an initial $115 million task order to develop and scale the mission operations center for the U.S. Space Force’s Space Data Network Backbone. The company’s November 10, 2026 announcement identifies a maximum contract ceiling of $450 million under an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity award from Space Systems Command.
The Space Data Network Backbone, or SDN-B, is planned as a multi-vendor data-transport architecture supporting Space Force, Golden Dome for America, and joint-force operations. Viasat’s work covers the design, fielding, operations, and sustainment of the mission operations center under government direction.
An Operations Center for Participating Networks
The planned center is intended to provide a common view of network health, status, and performance. Its scope includes space-to-ground systems integration for multi-orbit connectivity services and management of data transport according to government mission priorities. Engineering and sustainment work are also part of the award.
These activities connect network information to operational decisions. A status display reports whether participating services are available and how they are performing. Network management uses that information alongside assigned mission priorities to support the movement of data between endpoints.
A communications network includes more than the satellites carrying signals. Ground systems receive and transmit information, terminals connect users, and management software coordinates the available services. Integration concerns how these elements exchange operational information and work together. An operations center brings those functions into a managed service environment.
How the Contract Structure Works
The Federal Acquisition Regulation describes an indefinite-quantity contract as an arrangement for supplies or services within stated limits over a fixed period. Individual requirements are purchased through orders. The contract establishes minimum and maximum quantities, which can be expressed in units or dollar amounts.
The regulation also provides for an overall statement of work, an ordering period, and procedures governing individual orders. This separates the terms of the broader purchasing arrangement from the work authorized through a particular order. For Viasat, the announced initial order is $115 million and the overall ceiling is $450 million.
This purchasing structure is used for recurring requirements when their precise quantity cannot be determined in advance above a minimum. Individual orders define successive purchases within the contract’s scope. The initial SDN-B order supports development and scaling of the center and its associated network operations capability.
Software That Coordinates Satellite Activities
Viasat’s earlier work in network planning includes its Multi-Mission Orchestrator announcement of August 5, 2024. That software was introduced as a constellation-management and planning capability for coordinating spacecraft schedules and secure data transport.
The company described software that searches for operational schedules across a constellation, accounting for each satellite’s capabilities and constraints. Coordinating the schedules together allows the planner to assess a mission at the constellation level. Tasks assigned to one vehicle can be considered alongside the activities of other participating vehicles.
Viasat said the algorithms could run on the ground or aboard spacecraft. It identified data collection planning and coordinated maneuvers as applications. This earlier product illustrates the company’s work in automated mission planning, a related technical field to managing communications services across multiple space systems.
Scheduling and network monitoring serve different operational functions. A schedule assigns activities to resources and times. Monitoring reports the current condition of those resources. Combining planning with operational feedback allows an operator to compare intended activities with the services available to carry them out.
Government Priorities and Network Services
The SDN-B operations-center assignment places participating connectivity services within a government-directed management framework. The government supplies mission priorities, and the contracted work provides integration, monitoring, and operational support for the network. The announced initial task order begins development and scaling of that capability.
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