Only 15 minutes – it takes time for a satellite photograph to be in the hands of a military analyst – says Rafał Modrzewski, president and co-founder of ICEYE. The engineers of this company together with experts from Military Communications Plant No. 1 built the Mobile Satellite designation Platform. Will the strategy go to Polish soldiers?
A year ago during MSPO Polish Armed Forces Group, Military Communications Plant No 1 and company ICEYE Poland announced the start of cooperation. What happened this year?
Rafał ModrzewskiA lot! In 2023 we turned to PZZ with a proposal for cooperation, due to the fact that we lacked any competence to prepare a product for the military – the Mobile ISR Satellite designation Platform. We know how to build a satellite, how to send it into space, but erstwhile it comes to typically military equipment – and this was about a mobile platform that could be sent to the front – we can't do that. So we started talking to the PGZ consortium. Military Communications Plant No. 1 How we can handle this together. I must say, the results of this cooperation are very positively surprised. We assumed that working on the joint task would take longer, but it only took us 12 months. In the year, a finished product was created that we could show in time This year's MSPO.
What is the Mobile Satellite designation Platform?
This is 1 of the most modern solutions in the world, thanks to which the armed forces can make decisions very rapidly based on satellite images. In the container designed by WZŁ No. 1 there are various systems, including communication, but besides data transmission, which takes place safely and quickly. The container is placed anywhere, may even be close soldiers fighting on the front. In space, our satellites work, and we now have over 30 of them. Within just 15 minutes, the photos taken by them will be in the hands of analysts who have a workstation in a container. An analytical and decision-making process begins, and what I will stress again – this can happen close the front. This is very crucial erstwhile utilizing photos from multiple satellites and another photograph comes even all 30 minutes. fresh information flows besides frequently to be analysed and decisions taken distant from the military.
So the commanders on whom the operations depend will have information almost in real time?
Yeah, and that's a immense change. delight note how satellite systems change the way armed forces are carried out. They begin to replace the designation of, for example, air interviews. We don't gotta fly out, fly out, take a picture, anything. Now these tasks can be done by satellites. That is why satellite systems are developing very rapidly worldwide. The United States already owns them, but they are besides built in South Korea, Japan. What does that mean? The fact that everyone realises that it is the satellites that will be crucial for the conduct of armed conflicts.
Is that why you took care of them?
No, at first I didn't consider working with the military. I founded ICEYE at Alto University in Helsinki, where I left as part of the Erasmus programme. I joined a student satellite project. We did quite a few research, and yet we decided to start a company to usage our cognition somehow. We started building small, inexpensive satellites. Our thought was to release hundreds of satellites that would watch the Earth all the time. But in 2022, a conflict broke out in Ukraine. We had 10 satellites in space at the time, and it was the largest satellite constellation in space. Very rapidly we were asked about cooperation from the Ukrainian army. And this cooperation is inactive being carried out today.
What is it?
Ukrainians bought 1 of our satellites. They frequently print photographs or videos showing the effects of its use. They're talking about tens of thousands of objects that they've been able to find and destruct with data obtained from photos taken by our equipment.
What does the ICEYE constellation look like?
We've launched 38 satellites into space. Next year, we're planning on adding 20 more satellites. Constellation is growing, and I think it will stay the largest. But it's not about numbers, it's besides about the way it works. We usage a synthetic aperture (SAR) radar to take photos. The most crucial advantage is that he is able to take a image in all lighting and weather conditions. He doesn't head clouds, smoke, storms, rains, night.
Why is it so important? Imagine that we have the ability to fly a satellite over a certain point all hour, but in fact, most days the sky is clouded. Photographs taken with camera are useless in this case. But if we usage a satellite with SAR radar, we'll get information.
What can we anticipate in the close future erstwhile it comes to ICEYE's cooperation with the army?
As for the ISR Mobile Satellite designation Platform, the product is ready and we will discuss the details of the contract. We want to offer not only finished products, but besides talk about military needs, analyse them and propose solutions. We want the army to look at ICEYE as a company that has the ability to plan and build fresh capabilities very quickly. We have a squad of 700 employees, including 400 engineers, and 150 of them are Poles who are able to support the military with their cognition and competence. That's what we care about today.
So far, your solutions have been utilized in the fight against the flood.
We have directed all SAR radar satellites from its constellation of satellites of this kind to observe floods in Poland and the region. ICEYE analysts immediately collaborated with the Center for Emergency Information of the Centre for Space investigation of the Polish Academy of Sciences, developing the data collected and providing information to the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, the State Fire Service and another services operating in flooded areas. The company besides provided radar imaging to the media and curious people. ICEYE made data and analyses available free of charge under its own initiative. Providing images to monitor and counter the effects of natural disasters, specified as fires, earthquakes or floods, is 1 of the company's standard services.
