The Northrop Grumman-built ASBM-1 and ASBM-2 satellites at the company’s satellite manufacturing facility in Dulles, Virginia. Photo: Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman has reached a key milestone in a major Arctic satellite mission. It has successfully handed over mission operations of Space Norway’s Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) satellites and completed activation of U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command’s (SSC) two Enhanced Polar System – Recapitalization (EPS-R) payloads, hosted aboard ASBM. The mission launched in August from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The company announced the successful handover and activation on Dec. 4.

ASBM is a historic partnership between Space Norway and the U.S. Space Force, marking the first time an operational U.S. military payload is hosted on an international commercial space mission.

The two ASBM satellites host payloads for the Norwegian Ministry of Defense and Viasat, which will expand X-band and Ka-band connectivity across the Arctic region, and the Norwegian Radiation Monitor, provided by Norwegian company IDEAS for the European Commission, that will provide data on operations in triple apogee Highly Elliptical Orbit. The EPS-R payloads on ASBM provide protected military satellite communications for U.S. and allied forces operating in the Northern Polar region.

Northrop Grumman provided two GEOStar-3 satellites for this mission in addition to payload development, integration, testing, launch support, and early mission operations for Space Norway. Northrop Grumman also provided two Satellite Control Ground Systems, located in Tromsø and Bardufoss, Norway.

“Thanks to a bold vision from our customers — and enabled by Northrop Grumman’s end-to-end capabilities, deep mission understanding and unmatched milsatcom legacy  — our service members and allies can now count on reliable, secure communications in this strategically important region while next-generation systems are developed,” Blake Bullock, vice president of Military Space Systems for Northrop Grumman, said in a statement.