Himera and GomSpace put Ukraine's first sovereign network test satellite in orbit
Himera · GomSpace
Himera and GomSpace say their Obria Nano test satellite is operating in orbit, the first step toward a sovereign Ukrainian comms network.
what happened
Ukrainian startup Himera and Denmark's GomSpace said Oct. 27 that their Obria Nano test satellite, launched Oct. 1 on SpaceX's Transporter-18 rideshare, is operating in orbit and undergoing testing, per SpaceNews. The companies said the satellite is the first step toward a planned constellation providing independent communications coverage across Ukraine, with plans to eventually localize satellite and ground-terminal production inside the country, per GomSpace's own release. Himera, founded in 2022, builds secure tactical radios for Ukraine's military; GomSpace, based in Aalborg, Denmark, manufactures small satellites and spacecraft subsystems.
why it matters
The test comes as Ukraine pushes to reduce its reliance on SpaceX's Starlink and Starshield after weeks of service disruptions and diplomatic friction over US-ordered speed restrictions. It is the second sovereign-satcom initiative Ukraine has set in motion this month, after ICEYE and Nokia's Oct. 22 letter of intent with Ukraine's defense ministry, giving Ukrainian and allied suppliers two distinct paths toward reducing dependence on a single foreign operator.
signal-to-noise
quick facts
- Companies
- Himera, GomSpace
- Category
- constellation
- Impact
- notable
- SNR
- 4 / 5
- Event date
- 2026-10-27
- Published
- 2026-10-27 22:58 UTC