Rendition of GomSpace’s GOMX 4 satellites on orbit. Photo: GomSpace.

For the first time, GomSpace has accomplished live data capture from its two nanosatellites in space, which the company placed into orbit 12 weeks ago. GomSpace officially has transitioned from the test phase to the demonstration phase in its mission to conduct interlink communications on nanosatellite tandem formation flights and data retrieval, including surveillance of the Arctic area.

On Feb. 2, GomSpace launched two nanosatellites mounted on the Chinese missile Long March 2D from the Gobi Desert. The objective of the two nanosatellites, based on GomSpace’s 6U platform, is in part to monitor the Arctic area. There, ice has melted significantly in recent years, meaning that the area sees more activity in the form of aircraft, ships, researchers and tourists.

GomSpace has built the satellites and is responsible for their operation, and at a recent press conference in Aalborg, demonstrated live data transmission during which the orbiting satellites communicated with a ground station in Aalborg.

Since the satellites’ launch, GomSpace’s technical team has tested the two satellites’ various subsystems to ensure optimal communication and data capture. GomSpace can only retrieve the data from the assets, currently flying in orbit at a height of 500 kilometers, within three small windows per day. The data are images and signals from ships and aircraft.

As part of the project, GomSpace and the European Space Agency (ESA) signed a contract that includes design, production, integration, launch and operation of one of the two satellites.