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Morten Tengs appointed CEO of Space Norway

Morten Tengs, CEO, Space Norway.
Morten Tengs, CEO, Space Norway. Photo: Kilian Munch.

The Board of Directors of Space Norway has appointed Morten Tengs as Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Chairman of the Board, Svein Olav Munkeby says:

“Tengs has been deeply involved in company decisions and has been acting CEO since June 2024. This implies excellent knowledge about our ongoing and future projects. The Board is very pleased with this appointment and feels that Morten will deliver on our strategy.

“Space Norway leads on in Norwegian space development. Space Norway has every opportunity for further growth and development, and I’m looking forward to continuing my work as CEO of Space Norway,” says Tengs.

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Press release

Space Norway launches "Arctic Way": the world's northernmost subsea cable system.

David Coughlan, CEO of SubCom, and Morten Tengs, CEO of Space Norway, sign the contract for the Arctic Way Cable System. (Photo courtesy of SubCom).
Photo: David Coughlan, CEO of SubCom, and Morten Tengs, CEO of Space Norway, sign the contract for the Arctic Way Cable System. (Photo courtesy of SubCom).

Space Norway is set to establish new high-speed connection from the Norwegian mainland to Jan Mayen and Svalbard archipelago.

Space Norway has signed a contract with SubCom for the full system supply of the Arctic Way Cable System, including survey, design, manufacturing, and installation. Scheduled to commence service in 2028, this new system will become a critical asset for transmitting data traffic between the mainland, Jan Mayen, and Svalbard.

“Space Norway owns, develops and manages critical space infrastructure and subsea cable systems. Establishing this new cable system is imperative to ensure uninterrupted connectivity for the Arctic community and to support Norway’s strategic interests. With SubCom’s proven track record in managing Arctic projects, they are the optimal partner for this significant program,” says Morten Tengs, CEO of Space Norway.

“SubCom has maintained a successful relationship with Space Norway for decades, including our participation in the supply of the original Svalbard cable system,” said David Coughlan, CEO of SubCom. “Our experience with the customer and our expertise in the region – one of the most unique marine environments on the planet – will enable SubCom to efficiently produce and deploy this critical subsea cable infrastructure on behalf of Space Norway.”

“While establishing new fibre infrastructure, we will continue to utilise the two existing cables to Svalbard as long as they remain functional, serving as a backup for Arctic Way. Although these cables are approaching the end of their 25-year service lifespan, we expect them to remain operational for several years past 2028,” explains Rune Jensen, Director of Subsea Cable Systems at Space Norway.

 

You can find out more about the project in the official press release from the Norwegian Government (in Norwegian).

 

Illustration: Arctic Way Cable System: Connecting Norway's mainland, Jan Mayen and Svalbard.
Illustration: Arctic Way Cable System: Connecting Norway's mainland, Jan Mayen and Svalbard.

System name: Arctic Way Cable System

Configuration: Trunk-and-branch, repeatered subsea cable system linking mainland Norway, Jan Mayen, and Svalbard with direct shore end landings in:

  • Bodø, Norway
  • Jan Mayen
  • Longyearbyen, Svalbard

Total length: 2350 km

Location: Entirely within the Arctic Circle, between 67-78°N

System provider: SubCom (full system supply including survey, design, manufacturing, and installation)

Vessel: Reliance Class main lay vessel (Polar certified)

Press contact at Space Norway

Randi Ellingsen

Title
Head of PR and Communication, Space Norway.
Tel
+47 988 77 675

Press contact at Space Norway

Sean Harris

Title
PR Account Manager, Elaborate Communications.
Tel
+44 (0) 1296 682051

Press contact at Space Norway

Sally Butler

Title
PR Account Director, Elaborate Communications.
Tel
+44 (0) 1296 682403

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Press release

Space Norway orders a new communications satellite THOR 8.

From left: Morten Tengs, CEO of Space Norway, and Hervé Derrey, CEO of Thales Alenia Space, sign the contract for THOR 8. (Image: Thales Alenia Space)
From left: Morten Tengs, CEO of Space Norway, and Hervé Derrey, CEO of Thales Alenia Space, sign the contract for THOR 8. (Image: Thales Alenia Space)

Space Norway, Northern Europe’s leading satellite operator, announces the contract for a new geostationary satellite to join its THOR fleet at 1° West.

Following the successful finalisation of an agreement with Thales Alenia Space for the design, construction, testing and delivery of THOR 8, the satellite is scheduled for launch in 2027. THOR 8 is designed as a dual-use satellite, equipped with three dedicated payloads on the Ku and Ka bands, and is expected to have an operational lifespan of more than 15 years.

Illustration of THOR 8 satellite. (Image: Thales Alenia Space).
Illustration of THOR 8 satellite. (Image: Thales Alenia Space).

The satellite will deliver robust, high-speed connectivity for data communication services to governments and commercial clients in the maritime and land-based sectors across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Additionally, THOR 8 will provide premium broadcasting coverage in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as in the Nordics.

“THOR 8 will offer expanded coverage and capacity going into the future, ensuring the seamless and dependable connectivity services that our diverse portfolio of clients have come to expect”, said Peter Olsen, Director of Satcom at Space Norway.

A momentous occasion: Executives from Space Norway and Thales Alenia Space gather to celebrate the signing of the THOR 8 satellite contract. (Image: Thales Alenia Space)
Executives from Space Norway and Thales Alenia Space gather to celebrate the signing of the THOR 8 satellite contract. From left: Oddveig Tretterud, Project Director, Space Segment, Space Norway, Svein Olav Munkeby, Chairman of the Board, Space Norway, Morten Tengs, CEO, Space Norway, Hervé Derrey, CEO, Thales Alenia Space, Robert Carpentier, VP Marketing & Sales, Europe & North America, Thales Alenia Space, Ulrich Lambert, Space Norway Account Manager, Thales Alenia Space, Patrick Cordier, THOR 8 Program Manager, Thales Alenia Space, Gilles Brocard, Telecommunications Bids Director, Thales Alenia Space, Sean McGrath, THOR 8 Contract Manager, Thales Alenia Space. (Image: Thales Alenia Space)

Hervé Derrey, CEO of Thales Alenia Space, said: “I would like to thank Space Norway for its continued trust in Thales Alenia Space. THOR 8 is our second satellite build for Space Norway, following THOR 6.”

Morten Tengs, CEO of Space Norway, stated: “The deployment of the THOR 8 satellite is a significant milestone in our mission to deliver advanced and reliable connectivity solutions. This strategic addition will enhance our capabilities, providing critical services to safeguard the interests of both national and international governments while meeting the demands of our commercial partners. We extend our gratitude to Thales Alenia Space for their long-standing partnership and commitment towards this transformational project.”

Cecilie Myrseth
The Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry

“The decision to invest in a new satellite reinforces Space Norway’s position as a leading provider of satellite communication services in Northern Europe. – This is a great day for the Norwegian space industry! Norway has a world-class expertise environment, and Space Norway has managed to develop a commercial satellite project that strengthens our position in the space industry. Norway is a large and important space nation, and this is a very significant focus area for the government.”

Press contact at Space Norway

Randi Ellingsen

Title
Head of PR and Communication, Space Norway.
Tel
+47 988 77 675

Sean Harris

Title
PR Account Manager, Elaborate Communications.
Tel
+44 (0) 1296 682051

Sally Butler

Title
PR Account Director, Elaborate Communications.
Tel
+44 (0) 1296 682403

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Insights

New Norwegian small satellite in space.

NorSat-4. Illustration: The Norwegian Defence Research Establishment

Congratulations to Norwegian Space Agency on the successful NorSat-4 launch.

The NorSat-4 satellite has now started its journey in a low orbit around the globe.

“Space Norway is proud to have assisted the Norwegian Space Agency in developing the NorSat-4 satellite, and we are ready to operate it,” says Ivar Spydevold, CEO of Space Norway’s subsidiary Statsat.

The operation centre at Statsat has already made contact with the satellite.

“All telemetry readings are nominal so far. We are looking forward to operating the NorSat-4 satellite on behalf of the Norwegian Space Agency, states Spydevold.

Space Norway’s role in the Norsat-4 project

Space Norway has supported the Norwegian Space Agency with project management capacity throughout the project.

“We have also supported in setting up data chains between the different organizations,” informs Spydevold.

He adds:

“And we were involved as well in preparing the mission control system to handle the satellite and operate it as part of the constellation of AIS satellites owned by the Norwegian Space Agency and the Norwegian Coastal Administration.”

This satellite is the 7th satellite to be operated by Space Norway’s Statsat on behalf of the Norwegian Space Agency.

 

Three payloads on board

The NorSat-4 carries three payloads, two of which are experimental.

The non-experimental payload is an AIS payload supplying the Norwegian Coastal Administration with additional AIS coverage.

“We hope the AIS payload can start operations as soon as today, Wednesday,” says Spydevold.

The other two payloads are a crypto unit from the Norwegian company EIDEL, and a low light imager (LLI) from the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment. The crypto unit will provide high-level encryption of the mission operation and of the downloaded data.

The LLI is designed to take pictures at very low light, typically periods before sunrise and after sunset. The camera baffle for the LLI is easily identifiable in the picture of the satellite. The baffle ensures that strong light from the sun does not reach the camera, as that would damage or even destroy the imager.

“The satellite manufacturer, UTIAS/SFL, will perform the commissioning, which will take a couple of weeks all in all, then we’ll take over the operation,” says Spydevold.

Facts about NorSat-4

  • Main task: Monitoring ship traffic in Norwegian oceans.
  • Mass: 34 kilograms.
  • Measures: 30 x 31 x 45 cm.
  • Pay load: AIS-receiver (Automatic Identification System), low light camera, and Nanosat encryption device.
  • Owned by the Norwegian Coastal Agency, financed with support from the Ministry of Defence in Norway.
  • Space Norway’s Statsat is operating the satellite.
  • The low light camera is operated by and analysed by Norwegian Defence Research Establishment.
  • Satellite manufacturer is UTIAS / Space Flight Laboratory.
  • Instruments manufactured by Kongsberg Discovery Seatex, Eidel (Eidsvoll Electronics), and Safran Reosc.

 

Employees at Space Norway Statsat watching the launch online.
Employees at Space Norway watching the Norsat-4 launch online. Photo: Statsat, Space Norway

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Norwegian space industry is the largest in the Nordics.

Norwegian space industry is growing. In an interview with the Norwegian online media www.tu.no (Teknisk Ukeblad) Space Norway’s Satcom Director, Peter Olsen, stated: “For the first time, the USA has placed a classified payload on a foreign satellite, and the fact that is that this demonstrates the high level of trust Norway enjoys in the industry.

Below you can read an abstract of the article:

Norway has established itself as the largest player in the space industry in the Nordic region, mainly through Space Norway. Space Norway, founded in 1995, has experienced significant growth, and in November 2023, they acquired Telenor Satellite. The company operates several satellites and has plans for more until 2029.

A milestone is that, for the first time, the USA has placed a classified payload on a Norwegian satellite, demonstrating great confidence in Norwegian space expertise. Space Norway’s project “Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission” (ASBM) provides broadband communication in the Arctic regions using HEO satellites.

Traditionally, Norway has relied on other countries for satellite launches, but with the opening of Andøya Space as a spaceport, Norway can now launch satellites into orbit from the European mainland.

Space Norway focuses on various sectors, including satellite communications, Earth observation, and underwater fibre cables. Projects such as MicroSAR and the Svalbard cable are central.

Norway’s unique strengths, especially in the Arctic regions, position the country as an important player in both the European and global space industry. Sustainability and space debris management are critical aspects of their projects. The future looks promising with increased independence and integration with the European space industry.

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News

Space Norway delivery enhances the Armed Forces' operational capability in the High North.

Norway’s largest satellite program is now operational. Today, Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram marks the capacity being utilised by the Armed Forces through a satellite call to a coast guard ship.

ASBM project is operational

This summer, Space Norway launched two large satellites into highly elliptical orbit. Since then, the satellites, payloads, and ground stations have undergone extensive testing by the owner, customers, and supplier.

“We are both proud and pleased to deliver perfectly functioning payloads with antennas and associated ground systems to the Norwegian Armed Forces. Delivering this capacity to the Norwegian Armed Forces is the primary rationale for the ASBM program, which is Norway’s largest space program to date. No other country has a solution like the one the Armed Forces now have,” says Kjell-Ove Skare, Program Director at Space Norway.

Strategically important

With this delivery, the Armed Forces secure broadband coverage throughout the Arctic, thereby gaining control over strategically important communication services in vast areas that have previously been without coverage. The northern regions have been described by several governments as Norway’s most important foreign policy interest area, and communication services are crucial for both domestic use and cooperation with allied forces in the north.

“Broadband in the Arctic will have a significant impact on the Armed Forces and our communication capabilities in the northern regions. It allows us to exercise effective command and control in all types of operations up to the North Pole. The ASBM program also opens up multiple opportunities for collaboration across defense branches and with our allies. This is an important milestone for Norway’s defense capability. We are grateful for the excellent cooperation with other stakeholders, resulting in the strengthening of the Armed Forces’ operational capabilities in the northern regions and the Arctic,” says the Chief of the Cyber Defence, Brigadier Halvor Johansen.

Brigadier Halvor Johansen
Chief of the Cyber Defence

“Broadband in the Arctic will have a significant impact on the Armed Forces and our communication capabilities in the northern regions”

Unique collaboration

In addition to being Norway’s largest satellite project, this program is unique in several ways. The size of the project made it impossible for a single actor to manage alone. This satellite program is groundbreaking through its unique collaboration between allied, governmental, and commercial interests. It demonstrates the potential of international cooperation that is both cost-effective and meets commercial and public needs simultaneously.

Throughout the project, Space Norway has focused on the users, whether military or civilian, on the ground, in the air, or at sea. Read more about the project here and here. The construction of the communication satellites has been ongoing for five years, and they contain payloads for the satellite operator Viasat, the Norwegian Armed Forces and U.S. Armed Forces, and the EU Commission. As planned, Space Norway has delivered payloads and capacity to the project customers during the fall. Viasat expects to launch its services at the beginning of the new year.

 

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Insights

Delivering valuable radiation data to the European Commission.

KSAT teleport in Tromsø

How to efficiently protect satellites from damaging space radiation? Knowing when, where and how much is critical. As of Friday November 29th, Space Norway delivers important space radiation data to the European Commission.

On board Space Norway’s Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) is NORM – a space radiation monitor developed by IDEAS with the support of the European Space Agency and the Norwegian Space Agency.

“Data from this satellite will benefit various EU space programs such as Gallileo, Egnos, SST and Iris2. This partnership has flourished, demonstrating the close cooperation between Norway and the European union in the realm of space. This mission is really a statement to the power of international space cooperation”, says Christoph Kautz, Director for Satellite Navigation and Earth Observation, European Commission.

Since its launch on board ASBM-2 on August 11th, 2024, NORM has been successfully collecting radiation data, including during the important initial phase of orbit-raising. Now, in its nominal orbit, it measures radiation levels all along ASBMs highly elliptical polar orbit and sends it to down to earth.

 

Early warning

NORM has already been able to return valuable insight on the proton flux in orbit, notably during the recent solar storm on October 9th. The instrument observed a very large, rapid spike in proton differential flux over the course of a few days. Data such as this could be useful in providing early warning and assessing risks of ongoing solar activity. Preliminary in-orbit data from the electron channels illustrate the instrument’s ability to precisely characterise the outer radiation belt.

 

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Bilde1.png

 

The satellite travels through both the inner and outer Van Allen Belts, enabling cross-calibration with other missions and providing observations of the highly variable particle intensities in these regions.

Representatives from the European Commission, Space Norway, IDEAS and The Norwegian Space Agency gathered in Oslo on Friday for a final review and to celebrate the conclusion of a successful project phase and start of operations.

“I really appreciate the relationships and trust we have been able to build between all parties in the project phase. I am also very happy to see that the service and data that we deliver to the EC is of good quality and in line with what we have worked towards over the last few years. We look forward to the continued cooperation and to deliver valuable data to the EC for many years to come,” says Matias Krogh Boge, SPN Project Director ASBM Radiation Data Service Project.

 

More information:

The Van Allen radiation belt consists of trapped particles from two belts of radiation that surround the Earth like enormous donuts. It is a zone of energetic charged particles, most of which originate from the solar wind, that are captured by and held around a planet by Earth’s magnetosphere. The magnetosphere traps the high energy radiation particles and shields the Earth from the solar storms and the constantly streaming solar wind that can damage technology as well as people living on Earth. The outer belt is made up of billions of high-energy particles that originate from the Sun and the inner belt results from interactions of cosmic rays with Earth’s atmosphere. The belts endanger satellites, which must have their sensitive components protected with adequate shielding if they spend significant time near that zone.

The European Union develops and operates space infrastructures such as Galileo, EGNOS, Copernicus, Space Surveillance and Tracking and later IRIS2. The NORM data will be useful for design, operations, and diagnosis for these EU missions, and beyond.

In addition, access to the data will be facilitated for the scientific community to contribute to the broader understanding of Sun-Earth interaction and of the effects of space weather on Earth’s magnetosphere, and other space-based technologies, including the derivation of nowcasting/forecasting products and warnings.

In addition, access to the data will be facilitated for the scientific community to contribute to the broader understanding of Sun-Earth interaction and of the effects of space weather on Earth’s magnetosphere, and other space-based technologies, including the derivation of nowcasting/forecasting products and warnings.

NORM’s particle telescope is a stack of 9 silicon detector diodes and 5 absorbers, designed as an easily adaptable unit for satellite missions in GEO, LEO, and HEO.

The ASBM satellites, composed of 2 satellites placed in highly elliptical TAP orbits with an orbital period of 16 hours and crossing altitudes between 8,700 and 43,000 km provide broadband telecommunication over the Arctic.

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Upgrading the future: TT&C antenna modernisation with NPC SYSTEM.

Upgrading Nittedal teleport TT&C antenna with NPC SYSTEM.
Nittedal teleport antennas undergo regular servicing. Photo: Kilian Munch.

Space Norway is dedicated to maintaining the health and precision of its THOR satellite fleet. To ensure the longevity and robust performance of its Tracking Telemetry and Command (TT&C) antennas, Space Norway has partnered with NPC SYSTEM for a comprehensive upgrade.

Ensuring longevity of TT&C antennas

As the leading European satellite operator, one of the key aspects of Space Norway’s work is  the control and operation of their THOR fleet of satellites, this includes maintaining satellite health, tracking their positions and altering their precise location as needed. To this end, Space Norway operates six antennas whose primary role is maintaining command uplinks and telemetry downlinks between the satellites and the company’s Satellite Control Centre in Oslo.

These Tracking Telemetry and Command (TT&C) antennas have recently undergone an upgrade to ensure they remain operational over the coming years. With four antennas located at Space Norway’s Nittedal ground station and a further two providing redundancy from the Eik Teleport in the Southwest of Norway, this project has taken a number of years to complete.

Nittedal Teleport
NIttedal teleport is one of Europe's largest and most northerly earth stations. Photo: Kilian Munch.

Choosing NPC SYSTEM for robust solutions

Explains Ole Martin Grønli, Senior Project Manager, Satcom at Space Norway, “Back in 2019 we started reaching out to suppliers of tracking systems that could provide a product that would be sufficiently robust for our quite challenging requirements. Having spoken to a number of possible companies, we decided to opt for NPC SYSTEM as they not only offered a complete range of products and custom solutions that would fit our needs, but also were able to handle the installation, working closely with our own engineers.”

The product chosen by Space Norway is the NEYRPIC 5100 tracking system. Since Space Norway operates five monopulse antennas (which update position continually rather than the more widely used step-track antennas which update every 10-20-minutes), the demands the company places on its tracking system are higher and require a tighter tracking specification.

Ground antenna at Nittedal teleport
Nittedal teleport TT&C antenna now ready for service following NPC SYSTEM upgrade. Photo: Kilian Munch.

Successful collaboration and future prospects

The first NPC SYSTEM installation at Space Norway was completed in May 2021 when the previous antenna control units on the six antennas were replaced with the NPC SYSTEM ACU550. Despite some initial teething problems, the Space Norway team decided that NPC SYSTEM would be the best choice for its overall upgrade of the entire fleet of TT&C antennas which began in 2022. This proved to be a good choice as the  project was driven smoothly through to completion.

Space Norway’s Chief Operations Engineer, Peter Elliott, adds, “I think it’s fair to say that the engineering teams both learned from each other –  we were able to communicate directly with key people in their team as they finessed the product design in response to some random behaviours which occurred during testing.”

Guy Ferraro
Chief Executive Officer, NPC SYSTEM.

‘’We were deeply honoured by Space Norway’s decision to choose us for this upgrade program. We collaborated closely to establish an efficient and constructive framework for communication between our teams throughout the project. The quality of these exchanges, along with the outstanding performance results of the installed monopulse tracking systems, stands as a testament to the success of this partnership.”

Tomorrow-ready with NPC SYSTEM

The successful upgrade of Space Norway’s Tracking Telemetry and Command (TT&C) antennas with NPC SYSTEM’s NEYRPIC 5100 tracking system marks a significant milestone for the company. The collaboration between Space Norway and NPC SYSTEM has proven to be highly effective, ensuring the robust performance required for the THOR fleet’s precise tracking needs.

This project not only highlights Space Norway’s commitment to maintaining and advancing its satellite operations but also underscores the importance of strategic partnerships in achieving technological excellence. Space Norway is well-positioned to continue delivering reliable satellite services, supported by its state-of-the-art TT&C infrastructure.

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Space Norway's Arctic Broadband Satellite Mission nominated for SpaceNews' ICON Award.

SpaceX's Falcon9 rocket with the two ASBM satellites on board.
SpaceX's Falcon9 rocket with the two ASBM satellites on board.

According to SpaceNews, the Icon Awards celebrate the year’s most iconic achievements shaping the direction of the space industry. A selection of individuals, organisations and missions that exemplify excellence in advancing space exploration, sustainability and innovation are shortlisted for the prestigious award. This year, Space Norway’s Arctic Broadband Satellite Mission is of one of the shortlisted.

Advancing space exploration

A selection of individuals, organisations and missions that exemplify excellence in advancing space exploration, sustainability and innovation are shortlisted for the prestigious award, including Space Norway’s Arctic Broadband Satellite Mission.

“Space Norway is proud to have been nominated in the category “International Collaboration” together with Artemis Accords and Intelsat”, says programme director Kjell-Ove Skare.

 

Proud of the programme

Skare emphasises that all in Space Norway are extremely proud of this programme. “It is truly an honour to be shortlisted for this award. This is a ground- breaking effort in an allied, governmental and commercial collaboration”.

The ASBM programme is a showcase of how governmental and commercial needs can be met at a critical point for all involved.

“Our focus in this mission is the value it creates for civil users such as ships, aircraft and governmental users such as rescue services and the coastguard, as well as national and allied forces. It would not have been possible without the excellent cooperation we have had with our partners at Viasat, the US Space Force and Northrop Grumman. I believe this mission sets a standard for future international collaboration in space, and Space Norway is eager to expand on the work we have started with ASBM,” comments Skare.

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Smooth cruising for IONA with connectivity from Space Norway and Telenor Maritime.

Norwegian fjord where IONA offers cruise routes

As a result of a longstanding partnership with Telenor Maritime, Space Norway has successfully provided connectivity for the IONA, the largest cruise ship commissioned by P&O Cruises and owned by Carnival Cruises.

A first for P & 0 and a first for Space Norway!

Representing a first for P & O Cruises, IONA was the largest cruise ship commissioned for P&O by owner Carnival Cruises at the time of its delivery in October 2020. Additionally, it was a first for Space Norway in delivering ongoing connectivity for a cruise liner of this size. Featuring a unique glass ‘sky dome’, the ship can carry 5206 passengers and operates with a crew of 1762. This means there are approximately 7000 people onboard at any one time, all dependent on the safe and secure running of the vessel. She was also the first LNG-powered vessel dedicated to the British market. As such, she also fits many of the environmental requirements of modern ships.

 

IONA is put through her paces with connectivity from Space Norway

As with all new builds, the ship underwent sea trials which took place over the course of a few weeks when systems were checked. The sea trials proved to be very successful, so Telenor Maritime was appointed to provide connectivity services for the ship. They subsequently gave the contract for the supply of satellite communications to Space Norway whose THOR satellite would support IONA’s operational needs.

Space Norway’s Director Data Services division, Jan Hetland, explains that the close working relationship between all parties was a key component to the success of the switch to the new, Space Norway service from the company which had supplied connectivity during the trials. “We are very pleased to be trusted with providing the connectivity for P&O’s IONA. Due to their size and complex operational requirements, these ships require highly reliable communications and a sophisticated network setup. Add to this the fact that service had to be transitioned from the previous service provider literally without interruption as the vessel operates 24/7/365. This was made possible through close technical coordination between Space Norway, Telenor Maritime and Carnival staff, laying the foundation for further projects in the near future.”

Initially IONA was operating standard weekly routes to the Canary Islands but, from the end of April, its itinerary switched further north to the Norwegian Fjords to make the most of the longer summer days.

 

Northerly route requires a specialist satellite operator

To accommodate the challenging northerly position, Space Norway changed the satellite feed over to its THOR 5 satellite, supported by ground services from the company’s Nittedal Teleport.

Space Norway is currently providing IONA with 170 Mbps (110 / 60 Mbps) through its Anker Managed service on Ku-band on the ST Engineering iDirect Dialog platform. This is part of a hybrid service that includes elements of LEO satellite communications to support customer and crew wi-fi usage and internet browsing. The geostationary service provided by Space Norway covers the critical operational aspects of the vessel including navigation, weather mapping, monitoring, data collection and 4G mobile network – GEOs tend to be more stable and so can provide a more robust service where safety and security are an issue.

The hybrid systems remain in balance as a result of an advanced connectivity platform which makes sure capacity is taken as needed from either the GEO or LEO satellite feeds.

 

The unique internet challenges of Norway’s rugged coastline

If cruise liners in general impose particular challenges on satellite communications, this is taken to another level entirely when you introduce the geography of the Norwegian Fjords, long, deep and narrow inlets created from the retreat of glaciers and surrounded by craggy mountains. This is where the THOR satellite fleet comes into its own as it has a great look angle from 1⁰ West helping to minimise the shadowing from the southern mountains which would obstruct the sight of the satellite. Space Norway is able to provide the best possible connectivity in these particular circumstances due to the position of the THOR fleet.

 

A truly robust connectivity service is essential for IONA

Of course, when operating a large and heavily populated vessel such as a cruise liner, there are many demands on the ship that wouldn’t be there on, for example, a cargo vessel. Paying guests expect a luxury experience and so are less forgiving when personal connectivity lets them down. Obviously, safety systems are always paramount, particularly when so many passengers and crew are dependent on  a truly resilient service. Space Norway’s unique satellite look angle is supported by two VSAT antennas onboard IONA so that connectivity is ‘always on’.

But it’s not only the operations that are critical, on cruises in general there is a heavy demand for high uptime. Operations are critical but the revenue-generating aspects are equally significant, and clients expect superior QoS without any latency or connection loss when they are onboard.

 

A successful result for all involved

Although connectivity from Space Norway has been delivered to many passenger fleets with large numbers of guests over the years, this was the first time that the company had provided satellite connectivity outside of sea trials for such a large cruise liner.

Sveinung Sætre
Sales Manager, Cruise, Telenor Maritime.

“It’s another level of detailing and planning that has been required and we are delighted to say that it has been a positive experience for us and also for P&O’s owners, Carnival. Space Norway was happy to have regular meetings with our client and put in all the necessary resources to ensure a good outcome to the benefit of all concerned.”