OHB Secures EUR 248 Million Contract for Arctic Satellite Constellation

OHB Sweden, a subsidiary of OHB SE, has been awarded a EUR 248 million contract to develop and construct 20 small satellites for the EUMETSAT Polar System – Sterna. This project, the largest satellite contract for Sweden's space sector, aims to enhance weather data from the Arctic, a region crucial for global climate dynamics but underserved by existing geostationary satellites.

The Arctic Weather Satellite, launched earlier by OHB Sweden, laid the groundwork for this ambitious constellation. It demonstrated the capability of small satellites equipped with microwave radar to provide accurate atmospheric data under harsh polar conditions. The new constellation's data will be vital for improving weather forecasts and global climate models.

OHB Sweden leads an industrial consortium with Omnisys supplying key meteorological instruments. The initiative involves about 30 companies, with critical contributions from German SMEs. EUMETSAT will oversee operations, ensuring a 13-year data provision from the satellites.