Space has become a strategic operating environment for both the defence sector and industrial and critical infrastructure actors. Space situational awareness is rapidly emerging as a key factor in security and competition.
The development of satellite technology has transformed space into a strategic and increasingly transparent operating environment. The number of reconnaissance satellites is increasing rapidly. At the same time, imaging precision is improving, and sensors capable of seeing through challenging conditions such as clouds, snow, and darkness are becoming more common.
The more satellites are in use, the stronger their collective performance becomes. In this environment, one question rises to the forefront: Is it possible to operate safely in space, or in the world visible from space, without space situational awareness?
Matti Anttila’s answer is brief: not very well. Anttila is the director of defence and space business development at Gofore.
– The strategic significance of space situational awareness is no longer limited to the defence sector. Increasingly, large industrial operators, infrastructure projects, and critical production environments are of such scale and visibility that their planning, investments, and operational activities can be observed from space. For many organisations, space creates a completely new operating environment. Additionally, new commercial actors are emerging continuously, also in Finland.
Strategic operational advantage through space situational awareness
Space situational awareness (SSA) is often understood as the ability to observe the Earth’s surface via satellites, or the ability to “look up” and detect what is moving in the sky.
Primarily, space situational awareness refers to a comprehensive understanding of objects moving in space, satellite orbits, and their observational capabilities. It also includes the ability to anticipate satellite movements and encounters, which is essential for ensuring operations and maintaining strategic advantage.
– It’s not just about situational awareness of space, but also the awareness of what we and others do in space. For organisations, it is increasingly important to understand how their activities can be monitored and detected from space, Anttila reminds.
The rapid development of satellite technology changes the rules
In recent years, satellite technology has advanced tremendously. For example, radar satellites can produce precise images regardless of weather conditions, with accuracy down to tens of centimeters.
According to Anttila, manufacturing and launching satellites has also become easier. New actors are emerging quickly, and capability levels are constantly rising.
Rapid development also raises concerns: Who can see operations that are being prepared or are underway? When and how precisely can we be detected? And what strategic preparations can be inferred from the outside?
– If an organisation’s operating model is based on protecting strategies, operations, or business plans, the new transparency of space challenges that foundation, Anttila notes.
Space situational awareness is an obligation and competitive advantage
In the defence and security sector, protecting operations is essential, as preparation and timing often influence the outcome. The same principle applies also to the commercial environment. Many large industrial investments, critical infrastructure projects, and extensive production or development programs are of such a scale that their progress can also be monitored from space.
When information provided by space situational awareness is available, plans can be timed appropriately, preparations protected, and visibility managed.
Knowledge increases privacy and privacy is strategically valuable.
– Space situational awareness is simultaneously a security, responsibility, and competitive advantage issue, with obligations as well. Finland’s national space legislation requires that satellite operators have the capability to ensure collision avoidance. This is only possible when up-to-date information on other space objects is available, Anttila concludes.
Leverage space situational awareness to strengthen strategic operational reliability