'Important That People Live Here'

Masud Gharahkhani, president of the Storting (the Norwegian parliament), has visited Svalbard to draw attention to preparedness and to the archipelago's place in international geopolitics. The trip came later than first intended. His original programme was altered because the Storting was dealing with a question about fuel taxes. On 1 May he still gave the Workers' Day speech in Longyearbyen, as scheduled.

In an email to High North News, Gharahkhani said he wanted a current picture of the situation on the islands. This year is both Norway's Space Year 2026 and the Year of Total Preparedness, and he sees Svalbard as especially interesting because of its strategic location. A stop at Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) was one he found useful. There he met Norway's first and only astronaut, who commanded Fram2, a private SpaceX mission and the first crewed spaceflight to pass over both polar regions. Sysselmesteren (the Governor of Svalbard), Lars Fause, was also present. The astronaut described how communication through the ground station on Svalbard was essential while Fram2 circled the Earth. Gharahkhani said KSAT satellites were crucial to that mission.

KSAT is a leading supplier of services to satellites in polar orbits, relevant to public safety, the report said. Gharahkhani said Svalbard is central to Norwegian preparedness, to stability and to a responsible Arctic presence. In his view people need to live on the islands, which requires jobs, and he named KSAT as an example of a business providing stable work and expertise in Longyearbyen.

The astronaut has also initiated an international astronaut conference, Oslo Astronaut Assembly 2026, held in Oslo in September. Its programme includes a visit to the Storting. Gharahkhani said he looks forward to hosting the participants.

He held a phone meeting with Terje Aunevik (Liberal), leader of Longyearbyen lokalstyre (the local council), and spoke with the Governor. Water supply and energy were presented to him as central issues. He also referred to Mine 7, Norway's last coal mine, which stopped operating in 2025 and was officially closed on 4 May. He called the closure bittersweet and said the miners' expertise could be important for future preparedness work.