Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) and Axelspace Corporation have announced an expanded strategic partnership aimed at accelerating the growth of Axelspace’s Earth observation business, AxelGlobe. The partnership is designed to enhance satellite observation frequency, strengthen operational capabilities, and deliver faster, continuous monitoring of the Earth’s surface.
Enhancing the GRUS-3 Mission and AxelGlobe
This agreement is specifically focused on preparing for Axelspace’s upcoming GRUS-3 mission. Scheduled to launch no earlier than July 2026, the GRUS-3 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) mission will build out the company’s next-generation Earth observation microsatellite constellation. The signing ceremony for the expanded partnership was recently held at the Meiji Kinenkan in Japan.
Leveraging GSaaS Infrastructure
As Axelspace enhances its ground network to be more scalable and robust, it will continue to leverage KSATlite, KSAT’s fully automated Ground Segment-as-a-Service (GSaaS) designed specifically for small satellites and mega-constellations. This integration provides several operational advantages:
- Performance Improvements: KSATlite will enhance communications performance and improve operational responsiveness for the growing AxelGlobe constellation.
- Global Reach: The partnership relies on KSAT’s rapidly growing ground network, which features over 400 antennas distributed across more than 40 global sites.
- Data Latency: Both companies are focusing on enhancing ground and data solutions to provide time-critical data and improved latency.
Yuya Nakamura, President and CEO of Axelspace, noted that partnering with KSAT has been foundational to the successful deployment and continuous operation of the existing GRUS constellation, and that the enhanced agreement will further strengthen the company’s operational infrastructure.
Driving the “Cloudification” of the Ground Segment
This collaboration reflects the broader commercial space trend toward ground segment cloudification and IT convergence. By utilizing KSAT’s automated infrastructure and Integrated Mission Services (IMS)—which seamlessly combines launch support, mission operations, and data delivery—Axelspace can scale its constellation efficiently while reducing its operational overhead.
Ultimately, the partnership aims to support future growth in critical data-driven services such as environmental monitoring, disaster response, and maritime applications by combining Axelspace’s satellite innovation with KSAT’s extensive and resilient ground network.
