PARIS — Norwegian satellite-electronics provider Kongsberg Norspace on May 14 reported a 30 percent increase in revenue for 2011 compared to 2010 on the strength of new commercial telecommunications satellite work and said it expects double-digit growth again in 2012.
The Horten, Norway-based company’s sales growth, to 17 million euros ($22.4 million) in 2011, was also helped by Norspace’s contracts for Europe’s Galileo satellite positioning, navigation and timing satellite constellation.
Norspace builds the search and rescue transponders to be placed on the Galileo spacecraft.
Norspace Chief Executive Sverre Bisgaard said in a May 14 interview that continued robust orders for frequency converters for telecommunications satellites is one of the reasons Norspace is investing 3 million euros in new satellite test facilities including a thermal-vacuum chamber and a vibration facility. The investment, which began in 2010, is expected to be completed this year, Bisgaard said.
Bisgaard said the Galileo and commercial work combined should enable the company to increase revenue to nearly 20 million euros in 2012.
Norspace announced two new orders totaling 20 frequency converters from satellite manufacturer Astrium Satellites May 14. The orders, valued at a combined 5 million euros, bring to 48 the number of converter units that Norspace has signed contracts to build since 2010.
