Satellite fleet

ASBM 1 & 2

Pioneering Arctic communication

Space Norway's ASBM satellites are part of their Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission, designed to provide reliable, high-speed connectivity to the Arctic region.

The ASBM 1 and ASBM 2 satellites work in tandem to provide continuous broadband coverage north of the 65° N latitude. To maintain uninterrupted coverage, these satellites follow a highly elliptical orbit. The highest orbital altitude, or apogee, is 43,500 km when the satellites are over the northern regions, while the lowest orbital altitude, or perigee, is 8,100 km when they are over the southern hemisphere.

The ASBM satellites operate in a TAP (Three Apogee Period) orbit, featuring an apogee of 43,500 km and a perigee of 8,100 km. These satellites share the same orbital plane with a 63-degree inclination and are separated by 8 hours.

Each complete orbit takes 16 hours, and with two satellites, Space Norway ensures comprehensive coverage throughout the Arctic north of 65° N. The satellites are active for approximately 10 hours in each orbit, including up to 2 hours of overlap where both satellites are operational, ensuring thorough coverage of the region.

Find out more about ASBM

Illustration of the two ASBM satellites orbiting Earth.

Facts about the satellites

The satellites each weigh around two tons, are approximately 3x3x4 meters in size, and have a wingspan with unfolded solar panels of about 27 meters.

The two satellites were stacked on top of each other in the rocket.

Launched from Vandenberg, USA, August 11, 2024
Platform: Northrop Grumman GEOStar3-123-10
Lifetime: 15 years’ service / 16 years fuel
Mass – dry weight: 1925 kg and 2030 kg
Mass – with fuel: 3505 kg and 3695 kg. In total 7200 kg
Solar panel effect (end-of-life): 7235 W
Battery capacity: 9910 Wh
Propulsion: Bi-Prop Transfer Orbit Monoprop On-Orbit Stationkeeping Bi-Prop Orbit Maintenance
Payloads: X-Band payload Ka-Band payload EPS-R payload NORM radiation monitor

A historic collaboration in space.

Payloads

Onboard the ASBM satellites are payloads from the Norwegian Armed Forces, the U.S. Space Force, and Viasat, a commercial satellite operator. Notably, this mission marks the first instance of a U.S. military payload being hosted on a foreign satellite.

Additionally, one of the satellites carries a Norwegian-developed payload designed to measure radiation levels in space, providing valuable data to the European Commission for their work on the new Galileo communication satellites.

Launch

The ASBM 1 and 2 satellites were launched in August 2024 by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. From their high elliptical orbit (HEO), these satellites provide continuous broadband coverage north of the 65° N latitude, offering unique and reliable broadband access in regions where conventional satellite coverage from both geostationary and low orbit satellites is not feasible.

Partners

The Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) involves several key partners:

Northrop Grumman: Built the satellites.
IDEAS: Developed the radiation monitor that provides data to the European Commission.
SpaceX: Launched the satellites using their Falcon 9 rocket.
Norwegian Armed Forces and U.S. Space Force: Have military payloads onboard.
Viasat: Offers broadband services to end-users in the Arctic.
KSAT: Constructed the ground infrastructure.

Image gallery

Falcon 9 rocket ready to launch Space Norway HEO satellites. — Falcon 9 rocket is ready to launch ASBM 1 & ASBM 2 satellites. Photo: SpaceX.

ASBM satellite illustration — ASBM satellite spreading its wings.

Antenna in BArdufoss — Supporting the mission from the ground.

Want to know more about our ASBM satellites?

For more information about Space Norway’s ASBM 1 and ASBM 2 satellites and how they enhance Arctic broadband communication needs, please contact us today.

Get connected!