Space Norway’s two-satellite Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) constellation, built by Northrop Grumman, was successfully launched on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, on 11 August 2024.
The ASBM satellites are designed to provide broadband communications services over the North Pole and high-latitude areas. Each ASBM satellite carries multiple payloads, including the US Space Force’s Enhanced Polar System-Recapitalization (EPS-R) payload for secure communications, an X-band payload for the Norwegian armed forces, a Global Xpress Ka-band payload for commercial satellite operator Viasat and a Norwegian Radiation Monitor payload provided by Norwegian company IDEAS for the European Commission.
Both satellites were inserted into Molniya highly elliptical transfer orbits, which are tilted at a steep angle (about 63.4°) relative to the Earth’s equator. This allows the satellites to pass over the northern and southern parts of the Earth and thus cover areas usually not well served by other orbits.
The ASBM mission was SpaceX’s first launch to a highly elliptical orbit and the first time an operational US Department of Defense payload (EPS-R) has been hosted on an international space vehicle.
The ASBM launch marked Northrop Grumman’s 48th mission using its GEOStar space vehicles, which, although designed for geosynchronous missions, are highly adaptable and can operate in a variety of orbits, such as the highly elliptical ones required for the ASBM mission.
Northrop Grumman also provided two satellite control systems, located in Tromsø and Bardufoss in Norway, for Space Norway to operate the ASBM constellation.
