The Norwegian government has detailed plans to finance a second orbital launch pad at Andøya Spaceport, an initiative the country’s Minister of Trade and Industry first announced on 30 September.
In its proposed state budget, published on 7 October, the government allocated NOK 323.3 million (€30 million) towards the project in 2027. NOK 223.5 million of that funding will come from the Ministry of Defence, with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries providing the remaining NOK 99.5 million.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries will cover its contribution by reallocating funds originally approved in 2020 for the development of Andøya Spaceport. This includes NOK 73 million in unspent equity funding and NOK 26.5 million from an outstanding regional development grant. The original commitments totalled NOK 282.6 million and NOK 83 million, respectively.
The project’s total budget is NOK 646 million, with the remaining funding expected to be allocated in the country’s 2028 budget.
In addition to funding specifics, the budget outlines a revised ownership and management model under which the Norwegian state will build and own spaceport infrastructure, while Andøya Space, a majority state-owned enterprise, will operate the facility, oversee launches and maintain agreements with launch providers. The company will lease the infrastructure from the state under terms that have yet to be confirmed.
Another major change to the facility’s management concerns security. The Norwegian Armed Forces are expected to assume responsibility for securing the area surrounding the spaceport. Currently, Andøya Space is responsible for safety during launch operations, while the police provide public security and support security arrangements around launches.
The existing arrangements have previously attracted parliamentary scrutiny. In October 2025, Centre Party MP Bent-Joacim Bentzen raised concerns about whether local police had sufficient resources to respond to security threats associated with expanding military and space activities at Andøya. In April 2026, Conservative MP Erlend Larsen questioned why authorities had not been present to enforce restrictions around the spaceport during an attempted Isar Aerospace launch.
While Norway is targeting 2028 for the second pad’s completion, the country’s parliament still needs to approve the proposed funding for 2027 before construction can begin. The government also needs to finalise the arrangements for managing the new facilities, including the division of responsibilities between the state, Andøya Space and the Norwegian Armed Forces.
