Ukrainian company launches first test satellite for independent communications network
Ukrainian defense technology company HIMERA and Denmark's GomSpace Group have launched OBRIA NANO, the first test satellite for a planned independent Ukrainian satellite communications network.
The satellite reached orbit aboard SpaceX's Transporter-18 mission on October 1, 2026, and has since entered operation, HIMERA announced on October 27.
The launch marks the first step in the OBRIA initiative, which aims to establish a Ukrainian satellite communications network, diversify the country's communications channels and reduce its strategic dependence on foreign infrastructure.
HIMERA described OBRIA NANO as a "sovereign Ukrainian satellite," although the project is being developed in cooperation with Danish satellite manufacturer GomSpace.
The company said its next goal is to localize the production of satellites and ground terminals in Ukraine, developing domestic satellite communications technology and manufacturing capabilities.
OBRIA NANO is a test satellite, and the planned independent communications network has not yet been deployed. HIMERA did not announce a timeline for the network's completion.