Commercial satellite companies are releasing images that once were only seen by intelligence agencies. A revolution in satellite technology is raising new questions about the ramifications of such information, especially in a time of war.
from the Russian invasion of Ukraine were not snapped in secret by the CIA or the National Reconnaissance Office. Neither are they classified. Rather, the images come from a private company known as Planet, one of several companies with a fleet of satellites that act as eyes in the sky — or, in this case, space.
At least five satellite companies are sharing their imagery now, EOS Data Analytics, the company that Fedorov asked the satellite companies to partner with to help process the data, told The Washington Post this week. As many as eight others have not responded, an EOS spokesperson said. The spokesperson would not name any of the companies.Countries have for decades used satellites to spy on their enemies.
“If a commercial company is selling data to a belligerent in an armed conflict, and that belligerent is using that data for targeting purposes, it’s very likely the commercial actor could be a party to the conflict,” he said. “Another option could be that that commercial satellite is a legitimate military target.”
From the very beginning, space has always involved military activities. Both NASA and the Russian space programs had their roots in military activities, and China’s space program has raised alarms over the years because a rocket that can deliver people to orbit can also deliver a warhead thousands of miles away.
A spokesperson for Iceye, a satellite company based in Finland, was also vague, saying it is aware of several initiatives “looking at gathering available intelligence. We are in contact with these representatives and are trying to coordinate with them.”But not everyone in the industry thinks satellite companies should be publicly releasing the imagery from Ukraine.
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