Contract signed for new Arctic Ocean Surveillance Precursor mission

With launch planned in 2027, AOS-P will conduct surveillance of vessels, particularly in the Arctic Regions of Norway (NAVAREA XIX), and provide this data to end users, allowing them to track unauthorized fishing activities, assist in Search and Rescue (SAR) operations and perform routine surveillance of difficult to monitor areas in Norwegian waters.

This improvement to maritime surveillance and ship tracking in the Arctic Ocean  will focus its efforts on the area under Norwegian responsibility, a critical hub for economic activities and national sovereignty.

Maritime surveillance is vital for creating a sustainable plan for future marine vessel operations in the Arctic regions of Norway. Parallel to AOS-p, another mission is currently in the preliminary design stage (Phase B2) under GSTP Element 3: Fly, the AOS Demonstration Mission, led by the Norwegian company EIDEL. The two missions are part of the Arctic Surveillance Program (ASP) initiated by the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA).

AOS missions are key components for consolidating know-how and building capability in Norway’s space industry, meaning they underscore GSTP’s most important objectives: fostering innovation, building capacity while reducing risk and enabling missions of ESA and national programmes.

“GSTP provides the right frame for these AOS missions, supporting Norway’s space industry in building capabilities. AOS missions will provide a lead position to Norwegian entities in future ESA and national programmes opportunities,” explains Noelia Peinado, Programme representative for GSTP. 

AOS-p reached Phase B1 earlier in 2024, meaning the platform and partners have been decided upon and on-board payloads have been selected. The newly signed GSTP contract will target the development of the mission all the way through to Phase E1, including launch and early operation (LEOP) and the first demonstration, although launch segment and ground segments will be provided by the  Norwegian industry as separate activities not relying on GSTP funding.
“The two AOS missions will provide great opportunities to bridge the gap between existing technologies and their full demonstration, validation and verification in orbit,” says Nader Alagha, ESA’s project manager for the AOS-P and AOS-D missions.

The AOS-P mission began its definition phase in 2021 starting from Phase 0 and Phase A of the technology development as a GSTP Building Blocks Framework activity. It was then followed on under the GSTP Element 3: Fly.

In the same theme, GSTP has recently completed an activity initiated by the Norwegian Space Agency using artificial intelligence to improve tracking of illegal fishing boats.

AOS-P and AOS-D will join the rest of GSTP Element 3’s in orbit technology demonstration fleet, which includes the soon-to-launch Proba-3 mission and another recent addition, LUMIO.