Last week, a delegation from the Norwegian space industry visited Ventspils University of Applied Sciences (and the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre. The delegation included representatives from nine Norwegian companies and organizations.

The visit was organized by Austris Keišs, Director of Export Promotion in Norway at the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA). Among the visitors was Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, Norway’s largest defense manufacturing company, which produces advanced defense, aviation, and space systems, including combat management solutions and remote weapon stations, as well as developing air defense systems and missile technologies for various military applications. The company also offers maritime systems such as autonomous and remote-controlled solutions for naval forces.

Also visiting Ventspils was Space Norway, one of Norway's leading satellite and space infrastructure companies; PaleBlue, a company that offers spaceflight simulations; Spectrum Blue, which uses quantum technologies to develop and produce next-generation materials used in healthcare and sustainability sectors, as well as digital decision-support systems for building management.

Other visitors included Inventas, a leading Norwegian design and innovation company; Rocket Grace Group, which organizes Spaceport Norway, one of the largest space conferences in the Nordic countries; and startup Nava Space, which plans to manufacture next-generation space suits designed for extreme environmental conditions by combining artificial intelligence solutions with smart materials.

The visit also included representatives from the University of Oslo, the engineering research foundation Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, and the Norwegian Industrial Forum for Space Activities (NIFRO).

During the visit, the delegation toured the VIRAC and VUAS electronics laboratories. VUAS Rector Andris Vaivads gave a presentation introducing the activities of both VUAS and VIRAC.

According to Austris Keišs, Head of the LIAA representative office in Norway, the goal of the visit was “to promote cooperation in the space industry between Latvia and Norway and to integrate Latvian companies into international projects and supply chains, positioning Latvia as an attractive investment destination for Norwegian companies.”

VSRC Director Mārcis Donerblics assessed the visit as productive: “We were pleased that the Norwegian Ambassador to Latvia, Ine Måreng, who is a strong supporter of the space sector, also joined the visit. The visit was doubly effective because both the political and industrial sectors were represented,” said Donerblics. “Of course, we took the opportunity to exchange contacts with representatives from various institutions, and with several, we agreed to continue the dialogue in one-on-one meetings. It’s too early to mention specific examples, but we are interested in topics like telecommunications, satellite communication antenna systems, and student exchange opportunities.”

Donerblics also reminded that VIRAC already has a strategic partnership with the Swedish Space Corporation and that there is a solid basis to hope for broader partnerships among the Nordic and Baltic countries.