Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has officially entered the space industry as a satellite operator and service provider following the launch of its first microsatellite.
The satellite, ARVAKER 1 N3X, was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California as part of SpaceX’s Transporter 13 mission. This marks the company’s first venture into owning and operating satellites.
KONGSBERG’s space-related activities cover the full value chain, including satellite production, ground stations, data processing, and analytics. The company has facilities for assembling, integrating, and testing satellites with sensitive payloads.
In 2024, KONGSBERG secured a five-year contract with the Norwegian Armed Forces to provide maritime surveillance data for Norwegian areas of interest. As part of the contract, three MP42H satellites will be launched. These satellites, produced by Kongsberg NanoAvionics, are equipped with Automatic Identification System (AIS) receivers and radar detection systems developed by the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI).
Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) will operate the satellites using its global network of ground stations to provide real-time surveillance data for the Norwegian government and international customers.
📌@KOGDefence has officially entered the space industry as a satellite operator and service provider following the launch of its first microsatellite.
🔗https://t.co/ERQ71Kg9Oc pic.twitter.com/Qe8VS6yUZ2
— Defensehere (@defensehere_en) March 17, 2025