ASBM

The ASBM satellites will each carry a commercial Ka-band payload operated by Space Norway and leased by Inmarsat.

Northrop Grumman is building the ASBM satellites on GEOStar-3 spacecraft platforms.

ASBM uses the Northrop Grumman GEOStar-3 platform, which includes the main satellite structure and systems for power, propulsion, communications, command and data handling, thermal control, and guidance and navigational control.

The ASBM satellites carry multiple hosted payloads, including an X-Band payload for the Norwegian Ministry of Defense.

The Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) is a $450,000,000 two-satellite system in highly elliptical orbits to provide connectivity at latitudes beyond geostationary coverage.

The two ASBM satellites host payloads for the Norwegian Ministry of Defense and Viasat to expand X-band and Ka-band connectivity across the Arctic region.

KSAT, of which Space Norway owns 50 percent, will build four new antennas ahead of the ASBM Falcon 9 launch to provide communications services to the twin satellites.

Space Norway was established in 2014 as a state-run company tasked with procuring the ASBM constellation.

The Inmarsat-leased ASBM payloads will precede the 2023 launch of three satellites Inmarsat ordered from Airbus Defense and Space in May.

ASBM plans to deploy two satellites in highly elliptical orbits on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in 2023 to provide polar coverage.

Northrop Grumman developed the EPS-R payloads that will fly to highly elliptical orbits on two ASBM satellites projected to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

ASBM uses the Northrop Grumman GEOStar-3 platform as its satellite bus.

The ASBM spacecraft are designed to integrate with Viasat’s wider satellite fleet and extend Ka-band coverage beyond what geostationary satellites provide.

Northrop Grumman delivered two satellites to Space Norway on 2024-06-21 for the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) to provide internet connectivity in the northern polar region.