정찰위성 우크라이나에 SAR 위성 데이터를 제공할 핀란드의 민간 정찰위성

[위종민]

핀란드의 초소형위성 제조업체인 ICEYE가 독일 라인메탈 및 정부의 지원을 받아 우크라이나 국방부에 SAR 위성 이미지 데이터를 제공할 예정이라고 합니다. 

ICEYE는 2022년부터 우크라이나에 데이터를 제공했었는데, 2024년 9월 라인메탈이 독일과 헝가리 정부와 군에 SAR 데이터 제공 독점권을 확보했다고 하네요. 

ICEYE는 핀란드, 폴란드, 스페인, 영국, 미국에 지사를 두고 있고 2018년 이후 38개의 위성을 발사했습니다. 홈페이지를 가 보니 모드에 따라 최대 25cm의 해상도를 제공하네요. 

민간업체가 사진뿐만 아니라 레이다 위성을 보유하고, 군사용 이미지를 제공한다니... 1990년대엔 상상도 못했었던 세상이네요. 

Ukraine to use SAR satellite data to inform operational planning - Airforce Technology

Ukraine to use SAR satellite data to inform operational planning

Space-based enablers continue to enhance Ukraine’s efforts on the backfoot against invading Russian forces.

John HillNovember 11, 2024

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ICEYE and Rheinmetall, with support from the German government, will support Ukraine with additional SAR satellite imagery for reconnaissance. Credit: ICEYE.

The German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall and Finnish microsatellite manufacturer ICYEYE will work together, with support from the German government, to provide Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite imagery data.

This tangled web of close industrial and government cooperation builds on the ties formed between the two companies in September 2024. At that time, Rheinmetall secured exclusive rights to provide the SAR data to military and government end-users in Germany and Hungary.

Moreover, ICEYE has a track record of supplying data to inform Ukraine’s operational planning since 2022. Since then a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the supplier and the Ministry of Defence in early July.

SAR uses motion from a radar antenna over a target region to provide finer spatial resolution than conventional stationary beam-scanning radars. The system is integrated on a platform, such as an aircraft or spacecraft.

ICEYE operates globally with offices in Finland, Poland, Spain, the UK, and the US. Since 2018, the company has launched 38 satellites.

All of this will extend Ukraine’s reconnaissance capabilities at a time when their forces are gradually receding in key areas in Eastern Ukraine and the Russian Kursk territory.

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Recent findings from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) indicate that Russian forces lost almost 200 tanks, over 650 armoured vehicles, and suffered an estimated 80,000 casualties in taking roughly 1,500 square kilometres during a period of intensified Russian offensive operations in September and October 2024.

Russia’s autumn offensive in the Donbas is centred around Pokrovsk, a town the Russians are pursuing at great costs. The ISW observed data suggesting five Russian armoured divisions have been lost in attempts to encompass the town since October 2023.

SAR satellites offer an advantage over conventional satellites as they can generate high-resolution images regardless of weather conditions or time of day. These are detailed and make even the smallest objects on the earth’s surface identifiable. This can bring decisive advantages for Ukraine’s armed forces in terms of surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance or their own positioning on the battlefield.

This is the case for Russia’s advancement too. Oleksandra Ustinova, head of Ukraine’s Parliamentary Commission on Arms, previously lauded ICEYE’s efforts as the world’s largest SAR satellite constellation operator:

“I plead with all satellite companies to follow ICEYE’s lead in not selling imagery to Russia… We are grateful that they are taking the technological lead within the industry to help protect Ukraine from Russian aggression.”

ICEYE

SAR satellites are designed for change detection, and our unique Dwell, Spot, Strip, and Scan modes give you the flexibility to monitor large areas and zoom into areas of interest at very high resolution as needed.

Dwell modes

Dwell modes help extract unmatched critical information from a single image. See every detail in incredible clarity with enhanced image quality and reduced noise. Dwell Precise, the industry's highest fidelity 25 cm imaging product, is the latest addition to the Dwell family.

Ground resolutions: 25 cm, 50 cm, and 1 m
Scene size: 5 km x 5 km

Find out more →

Spot modes

Spot enables very high resolution (up to 50 cm) and the largest available scene size for detailed monitoring. Use Spot modes for object identification and highly detailed change detection.

Ground resolution: up to 50 cm
Scene size: up to 15 km x 15 km

Strip mode

Strip is perfect for detecting changes to vast sea and land areas. Use Strip mode to see and respond to natural disasters and illegal activities, and to persistently monitor borders, coastal areas, or any location of interest.

Ground resolution: 3 m
Scene size: 30 x 50 km

Scan mode

Scan can cover an area of up to 840 km by 100 km. Scan mode is particularly effective for acquiring wide coverage imagery for maritime use cases, where national security authorities and maritime safety officials need persistent visibility.

Ground resolution: 15 m
Scene size: 840 km x 100 km