satellite station norwegian satellite ground station located near norway opened operated joint venture antarctica ground stations low altitude polar satellite sun orbit revolution earth facility consists multi mission customer dedicated operate bands station provides ground services satellites facility world customers installations include nasa station reads data japanese solar research satellite facility seen large increase smaller customers started providing fiber internet connection concessions issued civilian satellites data indirectly armed forces disagreement constitutes breach treaty history established initial stations facility remained use closed suitable second generation satellites planning station proposed location largely political concerns norwegian authorities create permanent activity lead accept location 1990s operated ground station limited number satellites appointed director plans launched try win ground station contract nasa planned nasa considering locating ground station greenland antarctica sweden invited nasa delegation visit nasa started negotiating contract establish ground station chosen high latitude polar satellite kilometers seen revolution earth plane program supplemented alaska construction road started relay station built send data sent onwards satellite installation meter antenna band capability satellite use launched april followed satellites ensure sustainable financing operations started negotiating potential customers project rejected instead cooperation defence built second antenna joint venture german research group applied permission establish ground station feared competition undermine financial capabilities facility built ownership operations facility consolidated taken newly created longer interested owning share facility sold shares merged interests new company took meters diameter installed decided locate ground station successor finland instead reason lack optical fiber cable connection archipelago took initiative build cable july gained interest nasa cable financed satellite operators paying fee transmission data pay satellite connection cable paid million united_states dollar contract signed cables mainland construction started june completed january starting expanded remaining large array customers twice able achieve steps necessary control satellites actually control operation commanded satellites able hack internet connection book journalist argues military intelligence violating treaty specifically provides evidence downloaded images earth intelligence military activities instance image taken civil war sold italian company similarly technology experiment satellite image sold war afghanistan images north korean installations sold united_states satellites use ground stations according governor odd military indirectly use information downloaded breach treaty professor concludes ground station directly military intelligence military satellites permitted treaty operation owned operated equally owned owned employees stationed work tied particular operator satellites communicate multiple satellites reducing costs compared dedicated ground stations typical satellite data delivered end customer minutes ground stations connected connected allows communicate satellites customers direct access installations having route operation center responsible backup scheduling conflict resolution facility uses shared ground services common protocol communication similar design increase flexibility reduce costs risk operates polar ground stations low earth orbit leo satellites antarctica ground stations able polar satellite revolution stations customers communicate satellite twice orbit satellites use need concession concession awarded satellites treaty explicitly military satellites prevent information dual use satellites sold military organizations governor station twice year includes checking logs satellites communicated actual information transferred employees need security clearance nato facilities located mountain plateau meters mean sea level outside island norway location parallel north favorable communication satellites low polar facility consists antenna systems multi mission customer dedicated making world largest commercial ground station variously capable communication bands makes use international standard ground station satellite communication use band tracking commanding band high speed data download originally combination second leased line lines satellite internet access data transmission island gives redundant fiber lines mainland providing second fiber connection operated power supplied case power facility equipped power supply standby generator capable supplying power weeks facility consists square meter main operations building square meter building emergency power supply station mobile research station addition lot located store leased facility connected kilometer long private road road closed land helicopter transport road connecting ease maintenance installations related satellite communication include measuring station radioactive particles air operated norwegian seismic array telecommunications installation operated weather station operated information relayed airport weather station operated placed according customer specifications normally involves distance meters ensure shade electromagnetic noise radio noise interfere locations chosen maximize satellite pass view station provide visibility satellite visibility terrestrial communications customers nasa includes support includes satellites ice cloud land elevation satellite small explorer program includes wave astronomy satellite dynamics interface region imaging collectively responsible half network daily passes satellites operated includes american satellites include private satellites operates meter dish antenna able transmit band receive band uses facility measurements system satellites include uses ground station satellites allows communication serves stations station including meter diameter meters uses track ships automatic identification system norwegian waters uses mission customers include german
Svalbard Satellite Station