Space Norway & SSTL Team Up for North Atlantic Radar Satellite
Space Norway and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) have joined forces to build a radar satellite for maritime surveillance. The satellite, equipped with a C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR), will primarily focus on monitoring the North Atlantic region. The initial customer is the Norwegian armed forces, but capacity will be available for other customers.
The satellite, weighing 400 kilograms, is set to launch in early 2027 on a SpaceX rideshare mission. It will be equipped with a C-band SAR optimized for ocean data collection, allowing it to track ships and correlate data with an Automatic Identification System (AIS) sensor. The satellite can collect high-resolution SAR data over a wide swath, providing security and regular daily monitoring for the North Atlantic's energy infrastructure, fisheries, and underwater cables.
This satellite is the first in a proposed constellation of six, aiming to monitor the North Atlantic every few hours. The project is led by Marte Kalveland, Director of Earth Observation and Innovation at Space Norway. SSTL is building the satellite, while Space Norway is providing the payload and will operate the satellite. The collaboration allows for additional satellites to be added to meet the needs of more customers in the future.
The radar satellite, a result of the Space Norway and SSTL collaboration, is poised to revolutionize maritime domain awareness in the North Atlantic. With its advanced capabilities and the potential for expansion, it promises enhanced security and monitoring for various stakeholders in the region.
