On 30 March 2026, a Falcon 9 launch successfully carried a number of satellites into orbit, including missions from the VDES Alliance members – Space Norway and LusoSpace.
This launch marks an important step in strengthening satellite capabilities relevant for future VDES-based services and maritime connectivity more broadly.
With new assets now in orbit, the potential for expanding coverage continues to improve. This is especially relevant for services such as digital maritime safety information and other data-driven applications that rely on reliable communication beyond terrestrial infrastructure.
Lars Løge, VDES Program Manager – Space Norway:
“The successful launch of our new satellite Mimir, with a VDES payload onboard, marks an exiting next step for our satellite VDES developments. The satellite VDES capacity provided by Mimir will enable new maritime services to be developed and operationalised to support the digitalisation of the maritime community for our partners and customers.”
Catarina Nunes, Product Manager for AIS/VDES – LusoSpace
“On 30 March, LusoSpace reached a new milestone – the successful launch of four new satellites equipped with AIS and VDES, joining the PoSat-2, which has been in orbit since January 2025, marks the beginning of the “Lusíada” constellation, which now has five satellites in space.”
From a VDES perspective, it is a solid signal that progress on the satellite side continues, as this remains an important part of enabling global and resilient maritime communication.
The VDES Alliance welcomes the successful launch and looks forward to following the next steps as these systems move towards operational use. If you would like to learn more about VDES or the activities of the Alliance, you are very welcome to reach out via our social media channels or at administration@vdes-alliance.org.