New Satellite Launch Boosts Space Communication Stocks by 11%

Shares of Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) closed at $65.89 on the 29th, up 11.15%, with approximately 2.15 million shares traded. In a single day, the company’s market capitalization grew by about $1.1 billion (roughly KRW 1.5 trillion), bringing the total market cap to around $8.9 billion (about KRW 12 trillion).

The stock’s sharp rise appears to reflect the company’s announcement on the 29th that its ViaSat-3 F3 satellite was successfully launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket and that initial signals were successfully received. The F3 satellite is a high-capacity communications satellite for the Asia-Pacific region, and Viasat aims to begin commercial service by mid-2026.

Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, Viasat is a satellite communications company offering fixed and mobile satellite broadband, in-flight and maritime Internet services, and defense and government communications solutions. While the acquisition of Inmarsat expanded its global satellite fleet, the company has taken on significant debt to fund satellite launches and acquisitions. As a result, the speed at which new satellites, including ViaSat-3 F3, generate revenue is viewed as a key investment consideration moving forward.