Kacey Roberts
Northrop Grumman has completed the integration of U.S. Space Force payloads on two satellites the company is building for a Space Norway-led polar broadband mission and put the first satellite through a thermal vacuum test.
The Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission will use the company’s GEOStar-3 platform and carry payloads developed for USSF’s Enhanced Polar System Recapitalization program, Northrop said Monday.
USSF partnered with Space Norway, a subsidiary of the Norwegian government, in efforts to continue providing satellite communications for U.S. military personnel who operate in the Arctic region.
The mission will also support an X-Band payload for Norway’s defense ministry, Inmarsat‘s Ka-Band service offering and a Ka-Band for Inmarsat and the European Commission-commissioned Norwegian Radiation Monitor instrument.
According to Northrop, a ground-based ASBM control and planning system the company delivered to USSF in March is on track to enter the operational phase after the segment underwent site acceptance testing, configuration audit and Department of Defense Form 250 report processes.
