Space Norway is collaborating with the Norwegian Ministry of Defence to develop a new subsea cable landing station (CLS) on a remote Arctic island.
Space Norway has signed a contract with the Norwegian Defence Estates Agency, Forsvarsbygg, for support in constructing a cable landing station on Jan Mayen, a Norwegian island in the Arctic Ocean.
The CLS will host the Arctic Way subsea fiber cable from mainland Norway to the islands of Jan Mayen and Svalbard.
Jan Mayen is a Norwegian volcanic island in the Arctic Ocean with no permanent population. It lies 600 km (370 miles) northeast of Iceland, 500 km (310 miles) east of Greenland, and 900 km (560 miles) northwest of Norway.
Olonkin Town is the only settlement on the Norwegian island. It houses people working for the Norwegian Armed Forces and the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. There are currently no subsea cables landing on the island.
Space Norway is developing the cable on behalf of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries. First announced in February 2025, the 2,350km system will link Bodø on the Norwegian mainland with Jan Mayen and Longyearbyen, Svalbard. It is set for completion in 2028. Subcom has been tapped to manufacture the cable.
“For Space Norway, it has been important to coordinate the landing of Arctic Way on Jan Mayen with Forsvarsbygg’s construction project. The island’s unique location presents major logistical challenges, and it is therefore very encouraging to see that the cooperation with Forsvarsbygg is working so well,” said Morten Tengs, CEO of Space Norway.
Forsvarsbygg will assist with the transport of personnel and equipment to the island, as well as with all excavation works. Forsvarsbygg is already in the process of constructing a new station for the Norwegian Armed Forces on Jan Mayen.
Forsvarsbygg’s contractor, Hæhre Arctic, will support Space Norway with the landing station while they are present on the island.
“We are proud of our project on Jan Mayen. It is important for Norway. We are pleased that we can support and collaborate with Space Norway,” added acting director of Forsvarsbygg, Camilla Mathiesen.
Space Norway noted the challenges in developing in the harsh conditions on the remote island: “Everything that is built there must withstand snowstorms, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes. There is no harbor, quay infrastructure or proper roads.”
There are two existing cables to Svalbard, though both are approaching the end of their 25-year lifespan.
Space Norway is a public limited company owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Industry (NFD). The company manages space infrastructure for the country, providing services to wholesale customers.
Forsvarsbygg is a Norwegian government agency responsible for the real estate belonging to the Military of Norway. It is not part of the military operations, but directly subordinate to the Norwegian Ministry of Defence.
Forsvarsbygg is developing a new 5,300 sqm (57,050 sq ft) station on the island that is due for completion in 2027. The new building will replace the existing facility, which dates back to 1960. There is a satellite ground station on the island serving the European Space Agency, KSAT, and the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA).
