A leading environment in the Norwegian space industry

Learn more about Space Norway

This is Space Norway

A range of important and critical functions depend on information from satellites. Space Norway’s role is to manage and develop strategic space infrastructure to serve important Norwegian societal needs. Space Norway provides infrastructure services at wholesale level to a limited number of major customers, who in turn serve a wide range of end customers. The company is 100% owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries and represents a key part of the Norwegian Government’s activities and assets in the space sector.

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Infrastructure

In operation

Svalbard fibre optic cable

Svalbard is in a geographically advantageous location for downloading data from satellites in polar orbits. Efficient transfer of large volumes of data to the mainland became a prerequisite for enabling further development of the business. The Norwegian Space Agency therefore took the initiative to establish a 1,400-kilometre subsea fibre-optic cable connection between the mainland and Svalbard. Space Norway was given the assignment to establish the connection and is today the owner and operator of this important infrastructure. The fibre connection became operational in January 2004 and is now a prerequisite for KSAT’s activities on Svalbard as well as for the Longyearbyen community in general.

Broadband in the Arctic

Space Norway provides the Troll Station in Antarctica with a satellite broadband connection. The capacity is delivered via a long-term lease of a dedicated capacity on the Thor 7 satellite. The satellite is owned and operated by Telenor Satellite, a subsidiary of Telenor ASA. The capacity is sub-leased in its entirety to KSAT.

Ground stations for communication with satellites

Kongsberg Satellite Services, KSAT, is a joint venture owned 50/50 by Space Norway and Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace, a division of the publicly listed company Kongsberg Gruppen ASA. KSAT is a world leader in its category. The company’s operations include ground stations for communication with satellites, and for reception and processing of data in near real time and also services related to the use of such data.

Operation of the AIS satellites for the Norwegian Costal Administration

The Norwegian Costal Administration uses satellites for maritime surveillance and retrieve AIS signals from global shipping traffic. When using AIS, ships send information about position, speed, direction and more. As of the end of 2020, the satellite fleet in operation consists of four micro-satellites (AISSAT-1, AISSAT-2, NorSat-1 and NorSat-2) in polar orbits, between 595 and 625 kilometres above sea level.

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Projects

Under development

Satellite constellation for broadband in the Arctic

For decades, there has been an unmet need for satellite-based broadband communications in the Arctic. In partnership with the Norwegian Armed Forces, Inmarsat and the U.S. Space Force, Space Norway will now establish such communication services. The Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) programme was given the go-ahead in 2019, and is so far the largest satellite programme ever rolled out in Norway. They launch is scheduled for 2023.

Maritime surveillance with small radar satellites

The Arctic region is Norway’s foremost strategic focus area, with maritime territories seven times larger than its landmasses. Space Norway is currently building the MicroSAR radar satellite. Tailored for monitoring Norwegian maritime zones, MicroSAR has a capability to detect objects even in darkness or cloudy conditions within its coverage area.

The Digitalization of Shipping

The VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) is a communication system intended to contribute to the development of e-navigation and the digitalization of shipping. VDES is the evolution of AIS (the current system for automatic ship identification) and will enhance maritime safety and serve as a platform for new services to ships, shipping companies, ports, and authorities. This may also provide more efficient shipping routes and traffic management, potentially yielding global environmental benefits.

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Space-Based Infrastructure as a Service

The Application Development Infrastructure in Space (ADIS) microsatellite will provide space-based infrastructure as a service, catering to both Space Norway and other collaborative partner’s needs. The primary payload on ADIS is an advanced software-defined radio, capable of operating across a broad frequency range, both in for transmit and receive, facilitating a highly flexible platform for research and development, innovation, and business development.