Photo: GomSpace

The Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) has awarded GomSpace a contract to develop and deliver a military communications nanosatellite. GomSpace announced the contract, which is worth $2 million, on Wednesday. 

The satellite is mean to demonstrate military tactical communications on the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) band from a polar Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). Gomspace said the primary mission objective is to demonstrate the military use and relevance of an Arctic satellite relay for tactical communication radios. Gomspace is working to show that such capability can be operational within two years from the project start, and less than 18 months after contract signing. Launch is planned for October 2021.

“To carry out this project on the fast track is an important goal of the project, with the long-term objective to establish an operational system that can provide this kind of satcom capability in the Arctic region” said Lars Erling Bråten, principal scientist at FFI.