In a few days, two Norwegian-owned satellites will be launched from California. When they are ready in the fall, the northern regions and the Arctic will have much better broadband coverage.
According to Defence Minister Björn Arild Gram, the satellites will improve communications for everything from aircraft to ships, expeditions and everyone else working in the Arctic.
– The armed forces will also gain access to a critical communications capability, which is critical for cooperation with allied forces in the north, Gramm said in a press release Thursday afternoon.
The satellites are owned by the state-owned Norwegian company Space.
It will be launched on a rocket from SpaceX, controlled by billionaire Elon Musk, who also owns Tesla and the X/Twitter blogging service.
– Norwegian Space History
The launch is scheduled to take place next week from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, according to Space Norway.
– This is an important day in Norwegian space history. It is important for Norway. But it is even more important for those who work and operate from Svalbard and to the North,
“We are delighted to be working with Space Norway,” says Morten Ting, CEO of Space Norway, in the press release.
The company says the entire project will cost $450 million, or 4.7 billion kroner.
Five years of work
The two satellites are 3 x 3 x 4 metres in size, have a wingspan of 27 metres and weigh about 3.5 tonnes. Using their highly elliptical orbit, the satellites provide continuous broadband coverage in the far north.
The construction of the satellites has been ongoing for five years.
They have equipment for satellite operator Viasat, the Norwegian and US armed forces and the European Commission.
One of the satellites carries a Norwegian radiation monitor on board to map the radiation environment in space, which is important for the design of future satellites.
The satellites are launched from the rocket at an altitude of 160 kilometers, before the rocket returns to Earth in a secure manner and can be used again.
Bet on Andøya
But there are more Norwegian space adventures underway:
In February, the Minister of Defense visited it. German missile manufacturer ISAR Aerospace outside Munich. In a few months, the first ISAR test rocket will be launched from Andøya. Soon, satellites could be launched into orbit from Norwegian soil.
– Norway is now invited to military space cooperation with major space powers such as the USA, Great Britain and Japan. This is a great recognition. And the jewel in the crown is Andøya Space, the Minister of Defence told VG during the visit.
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