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Access to Space Norway’s VDES payload

VDES network access agreement with Sternula

VDES agreement signing between Space Norway and Sternula.

Space Norway has signed a strategic agreement with Sternula, a Danish company working to make global, real-time VDES connectivity possible.

Through this partnership, Sternula will have access to Space Norway’s VDES payload capacity on the Norwegian NorSat-2 satellite. In return, Sternula will offer end-to-end “AIS 2.0” connectivity via its networks, supporting digital services for the maritime sector.

A strong partnership

“We have worked with Sternula on several projects over the past few years. Our companies complement each other well in the satellite VDES market because we take different approaches to building satellite VDES capacity,” said Marte Kalveland, Director for Earth Observation and Innovation at Space Norway.

She highlighted that this diversity makes the collaboration even stronger.

“Space Norway is delighted to enter this satellite VDES network access agreement, which will help us reach more customers and extend our global presence as a provider of satellite VDES capacity,” she added.

Lars Moltsen, CEO of Sternula, commented, “Space Norway is a true VDES pioneer and was the first satellite operator to launch a VDES satellite. We are excited to sign this network access agreement and work together.”

Sternula is building a global AIS 2.0 network to enable trusted data exchange in the maritime industry.

“We want to ensure that all available infrastructures are used to improve maritime safety and efficiency,” Moltsen said.

The next step for AIS

The VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) is an innovative communication system designed to support e-navigation and the digitalisation of shipping. Space Norway, in partnership with Kongsberg Discovery and Kongsberg Seatex, has helped make Norway a global leader in developing the satellite part of the VDES system.

VDES builds on the trusted AIS system, which has been a safety requirement under SOLAS since 2002 and is now used on over 300,000 vessels worldwide. By adding secure data channels, much greater capacity, and global two-way satellite connectivity, VDES represents a major step forward for maritime digitalisation. Importantly, these benefits are available without the need for new antennas on ships or on land.

VDES enables new digital services that improve maritime safety, route planning, and traffic management—benefiting ship owners, ports, and authorities. It allows two-way, low-speed communication with ships anywhere in the world, including the Arctic. As the next generation of the AIS system, VDES uses the same frequency range and combines land-based station coverage with satellite coverage, creating a seamless global system for ship communication.

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ASBM payload operative

Viasat's ASBM payloads now ready for government service

Activity outside Andenes, and Andøya during NEMO Trials 2016. Photo: Simen Rudi, Forsvarsmateriell
Photo: Simen Rudi, Norwegian Armed Forces.

Viasat, Inc., a global leader in satellite communications, has announced in a press release that its ASBM 1&2 payloads are ready to deliver services for government customers. Services for commercial maritime and aviation sectors are expected to follow throughout 2026.

Late last year, Viasat successfully completed in-orbit testing of the GX10A and GX10B payloads on Space Norway’s two Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission satellites. Now the first services are going operational.

“We’re excited to begin delivering services in the Arctic region to support scientific research and to enable assured, resilient communications for tactical and strategic government missions. This is another step in Viasat’s capability to provide innovative, multi-orbit solutions and services to meet the evolving connectivity requirements of government customers worldwide,” said Susan Miller, President of Viasat Government, in the press release.

ASBM – ground-breaking for broadband in Arctic

In a comment, Peter Olsen, Director of Satcom at Space Norway, congratulates Viasat on reaching the first operational milestone.

“Congratulations to Viasat on starting service delivery in the Arctic region via the ASBM platform. It is excellent news that they are now operational for government customers. Space Norway value the partnership with Viasat on ASBM greatly, and we are very pleased to see that Viasat payload functions as planned and is ready to delivery mission critical services for the users.”

Before the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM), no satellites were capable of providing continuous broadband access for government users in the Arctic. Space Norway has achieved a ground-breaking mission with the ASBM project, enabling it’s customers and partners to deliver broadband services via two satellites in a highly elliptical orbit.

The ASBM 1 and ASBM 2 satellites work in tandem to provide continuous broadband coverage north of the 65° N latitude, following a highly elliptical orbit.

From payload in-orbit testing to declaring overall system ready-for-service

The ASBM satellites were launched into highly elliptical orbit (HEO) in August 2024. In addition to host payloads for Viasat, they also feature hosted payloads for the Norwegian Military and the U.S. Government, as well as a radiation monitoring capability for the European Commission.

Girish Chandran, Chief Technology Officer and President of Global Space Networks, said in the press release: “We would like to thank Space Norway, our project partners, and our teams for their continued hard work to make this project a reality. Bringing these payloads into service for government will help fulfil our vision to deliver the flexibility, coverage, and connectivity our customers need – wherever they operate.”

Providing broadband satellite coverage in the Arctic

Traditionally, satellite communications have relied on geostationary satellites (GEO), orbiting the Earth over the equator and providing communication coverage to vast areas of the Earth’s surface. However, in areas north of approximately the 75th parallel, geostationary satellites are too low on the horizon for securing effective and reliable connectivity.

Unlike geostationary (GEO) satellites, the ASBM satellites orbit the Earth in a highly elliptical orbit (HEO) ensuring continuous coverage over the northern areas. Their highest orbit altitude is 43,500 km when over the northern hemisphere and their lowest orbit altitude is 8,100 km when over the southern hemisphere.

See the ASBM coverage map on Space Norway’s web page.

Viasat’s payloads

The connectivity demands of governments, commercial mobility services, and scientists in the Arctic region have been rapidly increasing. For Viasat, the GX10A and B payloads are designed to provide broadband satellite coverage over the Arctic region for government and commercial customers. The payloads will expand the coverage area served by Viasat, further strengthening the company’s global coverage capabilities with this dedicated capacity for the Arctic region. These payloads also support Viasat’s roadmap of delivering multi-orbit services to support customers across markets.

Viasat is further expanding its high-speed broadband capacity and capabilities for government and commercial mobility customers with five new Ka-band satellites currently under construction, which are expected to enter service over the next few years.

ASBM satellites specifications:

  • Weight: Each satellite weighs around two tons

  • Size: Approximately 3x3x4 meters

  • Wingspan: 27 meters with unfolded solar panels
  • Satellite manufacturer: Northrop Grumman
  • Launch vehicle: SpaceX Falcon 9

  • Ground infrastructure: built by Kongsberg
    • Satellite Services (KSAT)

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    News

    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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    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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    News

    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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    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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    News

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

    SpaceX's Falcon9 rocket with the two ASBM satellites onboard.
    SpaceX's Falcon9 rocket with the two ASBM satellites onboard.

    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.

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Partners.jpg

     

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    Press release

    ASBM handover marks an important milestone.

    ASBM satellite illustration
    ASBM satellite spreading its wings.

    After a successful launch in August 2024, Space Norway has now fully taken over the operation of its two Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission satellites, ASBM 1 and ASBM 2.

    After reaching the orbit position, the supplier, Northrop Grumman, continued in-orbit testing until the ASBM handover in the middle of October, 2024. The formal handover of ownership to Space Norway marks an important milestone for Space Norway and the Norwegian space industry.

     

    Norwegian control

    With this handover, Space Norway and Norway now have full control over an important space capability. The ASBM satellites are of great significance for all types of operations in the Arctic, including for the Norwegian Armed Forces and our allies.

    Space Norway’s team is ready to shift gears to satellite operations and management as the command is transferred to the ASBM Space Operations Centre.

     

    Important payloads

    The satellites contain payloads for the satellite operator Viasat, the Norwegian and American Armed Forces, and the EU Commission.

    From orbit the satellites ensure continuous broadband coverage to aircraft, research vessels, fishing vessels, cruise ships, coast guard, expeditions and others operating in the Arctic.

    Not least, the Norwegian Armed Forces now gain access to very important communication capacity, which is crucial for cooperation with allied forces in the north.

     

    Testing the payloads

    Testing of the Norwegian Armed Forces’ payload was carried out at Eggemoen by Northrop Grumman with support from Space Norway. The payload performed very well, and the testing was conducted according to plan.

    Testing of Viasat’s payload was far more complex and was carried out from Bardufoss with the Viasat team leading. Northrop Grumman, the Space Norway team, and Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) were also involved. Viasat completed the testing two days ahead of schedule thanks to excellent planning by both the Viasat team and the Norwegian side.

    Testing of the American EPS-R payload was conducted by Northrop Grumman and the US Space Force according to plan.

     

    Norm, a Norwegian-developed payload

    The Norwegian-developed payload NORM, produced by the Norwegian company IDEAS and financed through the Norwegian ESA contribution and the space centre, functions well and as expected.

    The instrument collects data delivered to the EU Commission. There data are important for mapping the radiation environment in space, which is important for the design of future satellites.

     

    ASBM handover of payload in November

    Space Norway will transfer ownership of the X-band payloads and ground infrastructure at Eggemoen to the Norwegian Armed Forces in early November. Viasat will start its operations around the same time. Viasat leases the payload from Space Norway for the entire lifetime of the satellite.

    Photo: Northrop Grumman

    Press inquiries

    Randi Ellingsen

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    Head of PR and Communication, Space Norway.
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