Spain, Norway Axe Joint Satellite Program

The Way Forward Concerning the Communication Satellite Cooperation Programme HISNORSAT

On 17 September 2012, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of Spain D. Pedro Argüelles Salaverría and the State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of Norway Mr. Roger Ingebrigtsen met to discuss the way ahead concerning the Communication Satellite cooperation programme.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Spain and Norway concerning the cooperation for the procurement, launch, and operation of a new communications satellite in X and military Ka frequency bands owned by Hisdesat and the Norwegian Armed Forces was signed by the Defence Ministers on September 7, 2010.

Norway and Spain have revisited the assumptions and prerequisites for the programme. The expected decrease in demand in the market of satellite communications capacity will increase the risk to the programme business plan.

The increased risks have made the parties review the way forward of the HISNORSAT programme. As an immediate result, Spain and Norway have agreed to end the present HISNORSAT investment programme. The nations will within a deadline of 2014 continue to work in a common approach to elaborate future satellite communications, acknowledging the advantages and synergies which can accrue from bilateral collaboration.


Source: joint release by Spanish and Norwegian MoDs News - 27 September 2012

Photo: "This high-capacity satellite, scheduled for launch in 2014, will better meet the needs of strategic communications of the two countries, both in the military and civilian" said the statement from the Spanish Ministry of Defence (Photo by http://instelnoticias.blogspot.com)


(27.09.2012)