Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission

Secured communications on top of the World. That’s Defining Possible.

ASBM Mission

The ASBM 1 & 2 spacecraft successfully launched August 11, 2024 at 7:02 p.m. PT aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

The Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission is designed to expand broadband coverage to the Arctic region for the U.S. Space Force and Space Norway.

ASBM employs two satellites designed to operate in a highly elliptical orbit to reach the Arctic coverage area. The satellites include multiple payloads including military payloads for the U.S. and Norwegian Armed Forces, as well as a commercial payload for Viasat, and a radiation monitor for the European Commission. This marks the first time an operational DoD payload (EPS-R) will be hosted on an international space vehicle.

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Eyes on the High North

Learn More About How the Arctic is Getting Connected

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Satellite being built and US submarine breaking thru polar icecap

About ASBM

As the industry begins to see more government-commercial hybrid missions, and more missions with stakeholders from multiple countries, Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor defining possible in space by designing, providing, integrating and testing both spacecraft, ASBM-1 and ASBM-2. ASBM leverages Northrop Grumman's vertically-integrated manufacturing and design capabilities to provide the GEOStar-3 flight-proven spacecraft bus and secondary structures, propellant tanks, solar arrays and heat pipe panels.

EPS-R

Our secure payload interface completely isolates EPS-R from the rest of the satellite, paving the way for future hybrid military-commercial launches and bringing down the cost of distributing capabilities.

With the EPS-R Payload, Northrop Grumman is delivering protected, anti-jam military satellite communications coverage to U.S. forces operating in the Arctic region.

CAPS

Northrop Grumman is also providing the Control and Planning Segment (CAPS), a next-generation ground system that receives telemetry and supplies configuration commands, mission planning and cryptographic planning for the EPS and EPS-R polar-orbiting payloads.

Military Broadband

Northrop Grumman built a military broadband payload to be operated by the Norwegian Armed Forces. This is the first dedicated military capability in the Arctic and it will be an important capacity for Allied nations operating in the High North.

Commercial Broadband

Through the Northrop Grumman-built satellites, Viasat will be able to provide seamless broadband to aerospace, maritime and ground users operating in the High North.