Milan, Italy, 16 October 2024: OHB Sweden and N3O signed a partnership contract today at the IAC - International Astronautical Congress, in Milan, covering the development, assembly, verification and testing for two Atlantic Constellation VHR satellites.
The agreement signed today between N3O (Portugal’s first satellite integrator) and OHB Sweden (a company with 30 years of experience in the development and implementation of complete space systems) marks another strong step towards the materialisation of the Atlantic Constellation, that will address markets in land management, critical infrastructure, agriculture, sustainability, innovation as well as security and defence.
The two satellites will be jointly developed by teams from N3O and OHB Sweden, relying on InnoSat, the generic satellite platform product from OHB Sweden, with already three satellites successfully operating in space (GMS-T, MATS, Arctic Weather Satellite) and four satellites in development (GARAI-A/B, EIS, ADIS).
While N3O is responsible for the development and implementation of the entire space segment of the Atlantic Constellation, OHB Sweden is responsible for providing the baseline design of the two VHR satellite platforms, and support services to N3O’s team. The assembly, integration and testing of the two satellites will take place at the N3O’s premises at the facilities of its main shareholder in Portugal (i.e. CEiiA), with the support from the OHB Sweden team.
The two VHR Satellites (employing InnoSats #8 and #9) will embark a state-of-the-art very high-resolution optical payload and will provide relevant optical images in the visible and near infrared spectrum with a spatial resolution better than 50cm per pixel with the high reliability and high performance requested by GEOSAT, the Portuguese Earth Observation satellite operator.
Fredrik Sjöberg, Deputy Managing Director at OHB Sweden:
We are very pleased with the trust established between N3O and OHB Sweden in order to develop together the two VHR Satellites of the Atlantic Constellation. The satellites will support decision makers on highly relevant matters like security, environment, marine, land and emergency with very short response time. Also the great and recognised competencies of OHB Sweden in satellites Attitude and Orbit Control Subsystem as well as Propulsion will best serve the purpose of this optical VHR mission.
André Oliveira, CEO of N3O
We are enthusiastic to have OHB Sweden as a partner for the development of our first two Atlantic Constellation VHR satellites. Their expertise will be an important element for the delivery of these first satellites on time and with the required performance. This cooperation provides great perspectives for the future of Portuguese space industry and for strengthening N3O as Portugal’s first satellite integrator, but also in its affirmation in the European market
About OHB Sweden
OHB Sweden is a provider of complete space missions, satellites as well as spacecraft subsystems. With more than 30 years of proven success from a wide range of space missions in low and geostationary orbit as well as spacecraft for interplanetary missions, OHB Sweden has acquired a first-class reputation offering reliable and innovative solutions to its customers. The key expertise from OHB Sweden lies in small satellites, AOCS and propulsion subsystems.
Building its success on the passion and exceptional talent of its employees, its extensive knowledge base, OHB Sweden stands stronger than ever to take on new innovative space missions together with its ever growing network of partners and customers.
About N3O
N3O (NewSpace Earth Observation Orbital Objects) was born to build sustainable satellite manufacturing and integration capabilities focused on the needs of a growing market segment, that reinforce the Portuguese space sector position in the European market.
As the Portuguese Integrator for small satellites, N3O manages the complexity associated to the development and deployment of Earth Observation (EO) systems (for remote sensing), creating for the first time a small satellite manufacturer in Portugal which will serve as an anchor for the national space sector. In the scope of the NEW SPACE PORTUGAL, a Next Generation EU programme, N3O leads the vertical WP3 and the main contribution for PPS2 - High and Very High Resolution Atlantic Constellation, being responsible for the agile development and launch of EO high and very high resolution satellites.
