Apex and KSAT join forces to accelerate satellite missions with streamlined, end-to-end capabilities. Apex and Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) have entered a strategic partnership. By combining Apex's productized, mass-produced satellite bus platforms with KSAT's global ground station network, mission operations, and integrated services, the companies aim to help satellite owners deploy and operate missions faster and more efficiently. 24 Mar 2026 Apex, a manufacturer of productized, mass-produced satellite buses, and Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT), a global provider of integrated mission services, are pleased to announce a strategic partnership to provide satellite owners with streamlined end-to-end mission capabilities - from spacecraft manufacturing through on-orbit operations and data delivery. The collaboration combines Apex's scalable, productized satellite bus platforms with KSAT's global ground station network, mission operations, and integrated services, enabling customers to deploy space missions faster and operate them more efficiently. "Partnering with Apex allows us to offer satellite owners a more streamlined path from spacecraft to operations," said Marte Indregard, CEO and President of KSAT. "Together we aim to reduce complexity and shorten deployment timelines by providing seamless access to KSAT's global infrastructure and experienced personnel, allowing customers to focus on their missions." Through the partnership, customers building missions on Apex satellite buses will gain seamless access to KSAT's integrated mission services, including launch and early orbit support, mission planning, satellite operations, and global ground station connectivity. "This partnership allows Apex customers to approach their constellations as an integrated system from day one," said Ian Cinnamon, Apex CEO and Co-Founder. "By combining both companies' capabilities, we're delivering an end-to-end solution that goes beyond the bus platform, enabling customers to orchestrate the full benefits of their satellite data from mission inception." The companies will work together to deliver integrated spacecraft and operations architectures designed to reduce complexity, shorten deployment timelines, and increase mission reliability. KSAT operates the world's largest commercial ground station network and provides mission services to government and commercial satellite owners worldwide. The partnership with Apex expands KSAT's ability to support next-generation satellite platforms and rapidly growing constellations. Under the agreement, the companies will collaborate on mission architecture, interoperability between spacecraft and ground systems, and joint offerings for commercial, civil, and defense missions. The partnership will initially focus on supporting low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite missions, with opportunities to expand into additional orbital regimes and mission types over time. The agreement was signed at Satellite in Washington DC 24th March, by KSAT CEO and President Marte Indregard and Apex CEO and Co-founder Ian Cinnamon:

NEC to develop technology demonstration satellite for optical communications. NEC Corporation has announced plans to develop a small technology demonstration satellite aimed at verifying key technologies for future optical communication satellite constellations. This initiative is part of NEC's efforts to advance optical communications, high-speed network routing design, and high-capacity millimeter-wave band communications. The design phase of the satellite-mounted equipment, or payload, has been completed, with manufacturing and integration into the satellite bus scheduled for fiscal year 2027. In satellite constellations where numerous satellites collaborate, optical communication is increasingly favored over conventional radio to avoid interference and enable high-capacity data transmission. NEC highlights the need to shorten development and manufacturing times and reduce costs to equip a large number of small satellites with optical communication devices. The company emphasizes the importance of utilizing general-purpose technologies that are highly functional and have a proven track record of mass production. The technology demonstration satellite will conduct several demonstrations in orbit to enhance competitiveness. These include evaluating a radiation-hardened design for commercial optical transceivers, operational verification of high-speed network routing processing technology using a Versal Adaptive SoC device from AMD, and demonstrating next-generation millimeter-wave band communication technology. NEC plans to demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating its satellite technology assets with generative AI for application development. The satellite bus will consist of the compact Aries satellite bus, an existing product of U.S.-based Apex Technology. Apex Technology CEO Ian Cinnamon expressed enthusiasm for partnering with NEC, highlighting the collaboration as an example of how mass-manufactured spacecraft can enable next-generation constellations globally. NEC's Yasushi Yokoyama noted that the demonstration results would be utilized in ongoing research and development projects under various economic security and space strategy programs. The project underscores NEC's commitment to advancing technological development for new space digital infrastructure, with a focus on safety, security, fairness, and efficiency.

Apex, a Los Angeles-based spacecraft manufacturer, recently secured $200 million in a Series D funding round led by Interlagos.