Two satellites will be built by Northrop Grumman and are scheduled to be launched by SpaceX in late 2022. The ground station will be established in North Norway and ensure Norwegian control of this critically important capability.
The programme is supported by the provision of up to 101 MUSD as equity from the Norwegian Government and a loan of over 86 MUSD from DNB, Norway's largest financial services group.
“After a multi-year dedicated effort, we are both proud and happy to have closed customer agreements with Inmarsat and with the Norwegian and US militaries”, says the Program Director Kjell-Ove Skare. “This is an exciting collaborative effort, which ensures a cost effective solution for all parties. Now we are eager to start the real work of building the satellites and the ground stations. We look forward to providing the world’s first and only mobile broadband service in the Arctic region; something which has long been an important objective for the Norwegian authorities.”
John Worthy, Fieldfisher's head of Satellite and Space Projects, comments: "We have been delighted to work with the Space Norway team to set up this unique and innovative programme, building a robust communications capability in an area strategically important to Norway and its partners. This will be vital for surveillance, fishery control and rescue operations in the vast sea area that is under Norwegian control."
The Fieldfisher team was led by partner John Worthy, supported by a strong team including partners and John Brunning, consultant Jon Edgell, legal directors James Lewis and Chris Eastham, senior associate George Murphy, and solicitors James Stewart, Robert Grannells and Sebastian Crawford.nfs1