Ukraine’s HIMERA and GomSpace Begin Satellite Tests, Plan Domestic Production

Ukrainian defense technology company HIMERA and Danish satellite manufacturer GomSpace have begun operating OBRIA NANO, the first experimental satellite for a planned Ukrainian-controlled communications network, with longer-term plans to establish satellite and ground terminal production in Ukraine.

The companies announced the operational milestone on October 27, 2026, confirming that OBRIA NANO had reached orbit aboard SpaceX's Transporter-18 mission on October 1 and was undergoing scheduled technical testing.

The initiative aims to reduce Ukraine's dependence on foreign satellite communications infrastructure while creating domestic manufacturing capabilities for military and dual-use space technologies.

HIMERA co-founder and CEO Misha Rudominski told Ukrainian technology publication AIN on October 28 that the two companies financed the initial stage through their own investments. Future development phases are expected to rely on external investment and financing rather than Ukrainian state funding.

Neither company has disclosed the project's budget, the number of satellites planned or a timetable for deploying an operational network.

First Satellite Already Testing in Orbit

OBRIA NANO is a small experimental communications satellite designed to validate technologies for the proposed OBRIA constellation.

The spacecraft was launched on October 1 as part of SpaceX's Transporter-18 rideshare mission, which carried multiple satellites into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.

According to HIMERA and GomSpace, the satellite has entered operation under Ukrainian control and is progressing through its planned testing program.

The mission is intended to provide technical data and operational experience that will inform the architecture of a future communications network capable of serving users across Ukraine.

The companies have not disclosed the spacecraft's detailed technical specifications, communications capacity, orbital parameters or the results of individual tests.

The distinction is important: OBRIA NANO is a technology demonstrator, not an operational nationwide satellite communications service.

HIMERA Plans Satellite and Ground Terminal Manufacturing in Ukraine

One of the project's central industrial ambitions is to localize the manufacturing of satellites and ground communications terminals in Ukraine.

HIMERA and GomSpace intend to use the experience gained from OBRIA NANO to build domestic engineering expertise and progressively increase Ukrainian participation in the development and production of space communications technology.

The initiative could eventually create opportunities for Ukrainian electronics manufacturers, communications specialists and aerospace suppliers.

However, the companies have not announced a production facility, manufacturing volumes or investment commitments for localized production.

HIMERA, which already develops secure battlefield communications equipment for Ukrainian forces, is extending its technological activities from terrestrial military communications into space infrastructure.

GomSpace, headquartered in Aalborg, Denmark, specializes in small satellites, satellite subsystems and space mission services. Founded in 2007, the company supplies customers in more than 60 countries and is listed on Nasdaq First North Premier Growth Market in Stockholm.

Its cooperation with HIMERA brings established European satellite engineering capabilities into a project led by a Ukrainian defense technology company.

Private Investment to Finance Development

HIMERA has provided additional information about the project's financing.

Speaking to AIN on October 28, Rudominski confirmed that HIMERA and GomSpace funded the initial development stage themselves.

The subsequent phases are expected to attract external investments and financing, with the companies not planning to use Ukrainian government funds during the network's development.

Financial details remain undisclosed, including the cost of OBRIA NANO, the expected investment required for the broader constellation and the potential commercial model.

Rudominski also emphasized that OBRIA should not be viewed as an immediate replacement for existing satellite communications systems such as Starlink.

Instead, its purpose is to establish additional Ukrainian-controlled communications infrastructure and diversify the country's technological options.

The companies have not announced when the full constellation could enter service.

Ukraine Pursues Multiple Sovereign Satellite Projects

The OBRIA initiative comes as Ukraine explores several approaches to reducing its dependence on externally controlled satellite infrastructure.

As AdriaDefense reported on October 23, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense signed a letter of intent with Finnish companies ICEYE and Nokia to explore the development of sovereign military satellite communications.

That initiative remains at the planning stage, while HIMERA and GomSpace have already placed an experimental spacecraft in orbit.

The two projects involve different industrial partnerships, and no formal relationship between them has been announced.

Ukraine's interest in communications autonomy has also been reinforced by concerns about relying on externally operated satellite services during military operations.

Earlier this month, AdriaDefense reported that changes to SpaceX's Starlink-related service restrictions had disrupted some Ukrainian military drone operations.

The OBRIA project is not yet capable of replacing such services, but its development reflects the growing importance of sovereign communications infrastructure for defense operations.

For Ukraine's emerging military space industry, the immediate priority is completing OBRIA NANO's orbital tests and using the results to determine the next technical and industrial stages.

The longer-term objective is to establish a Ukrainian-controlled satellite communications network supported by domestic manufacturing capabilities.

Sources: HIMERA and GomSpace, October 27, 2026; AIN, October 28, 2026.