Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KONGSBERG) has finalized its N3X satellite constellation following the successful deployment of two new microsatellites — ARVAKER 2 and ARVAKER 3 — aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-14 mission launched from California on June 24. The constellation is designed to strengthen Norway’s maritime domain awareness and bolster national and international maritime security capabilities.
With the completion of N3X, KONGSBERG reinforces its role as one of Europe’s most integrated space system and surveillance providers. "With this and future constellations, we are ready to support Norway and other global customers with technology and services to enhance maritime security,” said Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.
The N3X constellation enables persistent monitoring of maritime activity using an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver and a Navigation Radar Detector (NRD), both developed by Kongsberg Discovery. The NRD itself was designed in collaboration with the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI). Together, these technologies allow N3X to detect both cooperative vessels broadcasting AIS signals and "dark vessels" that attempt to evade detection by disabling AIS while continuing to emit radar signals.
Data collected by the constellation will support operations across multiple Norwegian government bodies including the Armed Forces, Coastal Administration, Directorate of Fisheries, and Customs. Use cases range from maritime law enforcement and environmental protection to emergency response.
The N3X program highlights KONGSBERG’s vertically integrated space capability, with subsidiaries such as Kongsberg NanoAvionics providing the microsatellite platforms, Kongsberg Discovery delivering the payloads, and KSAT (Kongsberg Satellite Services) overseeing operations and global ground station coverage for low-latency data access.
In addition to the two N3X satellites, KONGSBERG also deployed four additional satellites for clients in Germany, Spain, and New Zealand aboard the same SpaceX launch. These satellites will support diverse missions, including air traffic surveillance, thermal intelligence gathering, and fundamental space research.
With 10 satellites launched so far in 2025, KONGSBERG continues to expand its satellite operations, surpassing its 2024 total of nine missions.
