Ukrainian defense tech company HIMERA, together with Danish GomSpace, has launched and begun operating the OBRIA NANO satellite. It is the first test vehicle for a future independent Ukrainian satellite communication network intended to meet the state's strategic needs.
On October 27, the GomSpace press office announced this.
The satellite was launched back on October 1, 2026 as part of the SpaceX Transporter-18 mission. The spacecraft is now operating in orbit and undergoing planned technical tests.
The main goal of the project is to create Ukraine's own satellite infrastructure, which will reduce the country's dependence on foreign communication providers.
OBRIA NANO is intended to test technologies that will later be used to deploy the full OBRIA orbital constellation. Test results will help developers determine the technical requirements for the future system and prepare for its further development.
HIMERA notes that dependence on foreign technologies, even those provided by partner states, creates strategic risks. This is especially true during a full-scale war, when the stability of communication channels is critical for national security.
According to the developers' concept, its own satellite infrastructure will allow Ukraine to expand the number of available communication channels and reduce dependence on decisions by external operators.
"For us, this project is more than just launching a satellite. It is an opportunity to lay the foundation for an independent communication network for Ukraine," stated HIMERA co-founder and CEO Misha Rudominsky.
According to him, at the first stage the companies are testing the necessary technologies directly in orbit. The long-term goal is to create a system that will strengthen Ukraine's strategic security and reduce its dependence on foreign communication service providers.
OBRIA NANO is to be controlled by a Ukrainian operator. The project is currently at an experimental stage: the full satellite constellation is not yet deployed, and no dates have been announced for its commercial or state operation.
In the future, HIMERA and GomSpace plan to create a satellite network providing coverage over all of Ukraine. It should complement the capabilities of European satellite systems and become the basis of the national communication infrastructure.
GomSpace CEO Carsten Drachmann emphasized that cooperation with the Ukrainian company is aimed not only at increasing the country's independence in communications, but also at supporting its long-term economic development.
The next important stage will be localization of production of satellites and ground communication terminals directly in Ukraine. This should help develop domestic technologies, train specialists and expand the production capabilities of Ukrainian enterprises.
HIMERA is known as a Ukrainian developer of secure radio communication equipment, including radios and repeaters for the military. Danish GomSpace specializes in small satellites and integrated space systems.
For now, OBRIA NANO is performing test tasks, so it is premature to speak of a full Ukrainian alternative to existing satellite networks. However, the start of its operation allows moving from concept development to testing technologies in space.
