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AISSat 4 [SFL Missions Inc.]
AISSat-4 is a Norwegian maritime ship-tracking nanosatellite developed by SFL Missions Inc. for the Norwegian Space Agency as part of Norways ongoing effort to expand its space-based maritime situational awareness capabilities.
The mission of AISSat-4 is to enhance Norways monitoring of global ship traffic by collecting Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals transmitted by vessels. The satellite is designed to significantly increase operational capacity within Norways maritime surveillance network, with the ability to capture up to 1.5 million unique AIS signals per day, including in densely trafficked shipping lanes. This supports improved tracking of commercial shipping, safety monitoring, and maritime domain awareness.
AISSat-4 was built by SFL Missions Inc. using its SPARTAN 6U nanosatellite platform, which is based on flight-proven hardware and software to enable rapid development timelines. The spacecraft carries a single payload: a miniaturized AIS receiver developed by Kongsberg Seatex of Trondheim, Norway. The vertically integrated structure of SFL allows full control over subsystem manufacturing, integration, and testing, facilitating the accelerated schedule required for the mission.
AISSat-4 is a 6U-class nanosatellite based on the SPARTAN platform, optimized for AIS signal detection. Its single AIS receiver payload is paired with antennas designed for high signal acquisition rates, enabling efficient processing of large volumes of maritime data. The satellite leverages heritage subsystems to ensure reliability while maintaining flexibility for mission-specific adaptations.
AISSat-4 follows earlier Norwegian AIS missions, beginning with the first AISSat satellite launched in 2010. The AISSat series consists of compact satellites dedicated solely to AIS signal collection, while the parallel NorSat series incorporates additional technology demonstration payloads alongside AIS receivers. The launch of AISSat-4 in March 2026 continues this established approach, expanding Norways space-based maritime monitoring infrastructure.
It was launched in late March 2026.
| Nation: | Norway |
|---|---|
| Type / Application: | Traffic monitoring |
| Operator: | Norsk Romsenter |
| Contractors: | SFL Missions Inc. (bus); Kongsberg Seatex (payload) |
| Equipment: | AIS-receiver |
| Configuration: | |
| Propulsion: | |
| Power: | Solar cells, batteries |
| Lifetime: | 3 years |
| Mass: | |
| Orbit: |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AISSat 4 | 2026-067AQ | 30.03.2026 | Va SLC-4E | Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5) | with Gravitas, FGN-100 d3, HotSat 2, W-Series 6, Vindlr 2.0.1, ..., 2.0.3, Capella 20, ICEYE X71, ..., X76, IRIDE-MS1-EAGLET2 9, ..., 16, uSat 53, 54, Hawk 14A, 14B, 14C, Garai B, SERT 3, Mimir 1, ION-SCV 019, Lusada 1, ..., 4, Vigoride 7, InspectorSat 1, R5 S10, SpaceVan 002, AEPEX, MARS 1A, 1B, Out Of The Box, Vireon 1, 2, SPOQC, BRO 19, Black Kite 2, ERMIS 3, Flylab 1, T.MicroSat 2, TORO 3, AE1a, AISSat 4, COSMO, Deloitte 2, 3, ERMIS 1, 2, Flylab 2, GEMS2-Amethyst, GENIEedge Atlas, Harbinger, Lilium 4, OptiSat, PARUS 6U1, Sharjah-Sat 2, Io 1, DISCO 2, FossaSat 2E25, Ghostrider, JACK 002, PeakSat, SAL-E, AiglonSat 1, Emisar, TechEdSat 23, Dream Big 1, ..., 6, Unicorn 2R, 2S, SpinnyONE, Decimal-Sat 1, VegaFly 1, FEMTO 1, HelloWorld 1, Lemur-2 247, ..., 253, LUNA 2, PHOBOS, SM 1.2 ?, TROOP F3 |
Launch Sites:
- Va = Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, USA
References:
- SFL Missions Inc.: AISSat-4 Maritime Monitoring
