Northrop Grumman completes activation of the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) capabilities, including EPS-R Payloads.
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Press Release, Redondo Beach CA, 03 December 2024: Northrop Grumman Corporation has successfully handed over mission operations of Space Norway’s Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) satellites and completed activation of US 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.
- The two ASBM satellites host payloads for the Norwegian Ministry of Defence 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 US and allied forces operating in the Northern Polar region.
- EPS-R significantly increases the capacity of the existing Enhanced Polar System (EPS) payloads and extends the mission until next-generation protected MILSATCOM systems come online in the mid-2030s.
Blake Bullock, vice president, military space systems, Northrop Grumman: “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.”
Additional Details: ASBM is a historic partnership between Space Norway and the US Space Force, marking the first time an operational US military payload is hosted on an international commercial space mission. This first-of-its-kind accomplishment is the latest chapter in Northrop Grumman’s long history of supporting protected MILSATCOM missions. The company has developed, built and delivered protected MILSATCOM payloads for every protected MILSATCOM programme since the Milstar programme, which launched starting in the 1990s.
The EPS-R payloads are operated by the Northrop Grumman-led Control and Planning Segment ground system, which has been upgraded with a common baseline software to operate both EPS and EPS-R, eliminating the need for training on two separate control systems.
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.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defence technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our employees define possible every day.
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