Space Norway’s new satellite will be launched in 2027 by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The Norwegian satellite operator has contracted Elon Musk’s Space X for the mission that will take THOR 8 into geostationary orbit.
“The Falcon 9 launch service was selected after a competitive process. SpaceX has an impressive track record of launches, and we count on their reliable services for THOR 8, just as we did for last year’s successful launch of the two ASBM satellites”, says Peter Olsen, Head of Satcom Division at Space Norway.
“We’re proud of the trust Space Norway has in SpaceX and Falcon 9 to safely launch their THOR 8 spacecraft to orbit,” added SpaceX Vice President of Commercial Sales, Stephanie Bednarek. “We look forward to this exciting mission.”
SpaceX was the first company to commercialise the reuse of its rockets, and to date, has completed more than 500 successful launches and recoveries of Falcon first stage boosters.
THOR 8 will both replace older satellites being phased out in the coming years and provide increased capacity and service offerings for our customers. THOR 8 is part of Space Norway’s multi-orbit strategy, with satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), geostationary orbit (GEO), and highly elliptical orbit (HEO).
