ICEYE and Nokia to build sovereign satellite communications for governments
Finnish satellite company ICEYE and Nokia are partnering to develop broadband satellite communications systems in low Earth orbit (LEO) that governments can own and operate themselves. The first communications satellites are expected to launch in 2028.
The systems are aimed at defence, border security, emergency services and disaster response, according to a press release from ICEYE and Nokia. Customers will own and control the satellites, the ground segment and the terminals. The aim is to give governments communications that stay available when terrestrial networks are disrupted or compromised.
The systems will provide high-throughput, low-latency connectivity over priority mission areas. They are designed to complement existing military and commercial networks, not replace them.
"Nations must be able to fully own and control their communications, without dependency on a foreign commercial operator's terms of service," says Rafal Modrzewski, CEO and co-founder of ICEYE.
Under the partnership, ICEYE brings its experience delivering sovereign satellite missions, and Nokia contributes secure networking technology from its growing defence portfolio. Together, the companies will integrate satellites, ground infrastructure and ruggedised terminals. For ICEYE, the deal extends the business model it already uses for radar satellites, where nations buy their own systems, into communications. According to Modrzewski, the company delivered Poland its own radar satellite system in under a year.
The companies have not disclosed any customers, the size of the investment or the number of satellites planned.
