The Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA) has awarded a contract to Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) to build the NorSat-4 maritime tracking microsatellite. This is the eighth satellite developed by SFL for Norway, including the NorSat-3 launched in April 2021 and the NorSat Technology Demonstrator (NorSat-TD) that is now under construction.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
The satellite will be built on SFL’s DEFIANT microsatellite platform and carry an Automatic Identification System (AIS) ship tracking receiver developed by Kongsberg Seatex.
The satellite will also have a miniature low-light imaging camera, which will be integrated by France’s Safran Reosc. The device will detect vessels larger than 30 meters in length in Arctic waters, which are shrouded by darkness much of the year, the company said.
SFL has been developing ship-tracking microspace missions for Norway since 2010. After the success of that first project, Norway commissioned it as an operational ship-tracking mission, the company said. The company, through 72 satellites, have integrated radio frequency (RF) geolocation.
Contact: Robert Zee, SFL, (416) 667-7400, info@utias-sfl.net, www.utias-sfl.net.
 has awarded a contract to Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) to build the NorSat-4 maritime tracking microsatellite. This is the eighth satellite developed by SFL for Norway, including the NorSat-3 launched in April 2021 and the NorSat Technology Demonstrator (NorSat-TD) that is now under construction.){kind=link}