Lets procure in-orbit services like Earth observation data and services
The Chinese company MizarVision recently gained attention with its open source Earth observation data analysis over the Middle East which showed images of F-35s gathering 24 hours before Operation Epic Fury. The questions it raises also underlines that Earth observation services are approaching becoming a commodity. This service, not long ago reserved for governments, now provides to the people in the street the possibility to pinpoint United States military aircrafts, almost in real time. If we want to build European-made rendezvous and docking services answering needs of the civil and defense orbital infrastructures and have those services become a commodity to sell at scale as well, the way commercial satellite imagery services have been introduced in defense procurements provide a useful template.
Institutions around the world, and notably the military ones, have completed their portfolio of high-precision capabilities assets with commercial data and services from Earth observation newcomers, notably providing images with higher frequency thanks to the multiplication of smaller satellites organized in constellations, such as Iceye is developing in Europe. This same shift is occurring on the civil side, as epitomized in Europe by the introduction of the "Copernicus contributing missions" in the Earth observation program of the European Union. Since last January, 19 major and new players have been awarded European Space Agency contracts to sell their pictures within the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem. Commercial services in low Earth orbit for instance, will become a valuable dual-use asset for military forces. We shall anticipate and push a procurement inspired from the Earth observation procurement model and replicable for In-Orbit Services and Operations (ISOS).
Encompassing services brought by a new class of satellites - not designed to operate on their orbit but to bring services moving from one orbital asset to another - ISOS promises to follow the development of satellite infrastructure, ensuring more sustainable and secure activities. From inspection, to get first-hand information on a damaged satellite or on an orbital contestant, to life-management (extension by docking, refueling as well as deorbiting satellites already in orbit), vehicles bringing ISOS are set to help both commercial infrastructure and preserve sovereign capabilities to act in space. The technical challenges are still ahead for in-orbit services such as rendezvous and docking between two satellites, but these technical challenges may not be the real bottleneck.
Sign up for First Up: Get the latest updates on SpaceX, Artemis, NASA and more. From Jeff Foust, First Up is a recap of the day's space industry news, including civil, commercial, and military space developments.
By submitting this form, you agree to the SpaceNews privacy policy and terms and conditions and to receive email from us and our partners. You can opt-out at any time.
More and more demonstrations are set to happen in-orbit before 2030, following the first commercial rendezvous and docking service executed in 2021 by Lockheed Martin's MEV-2 satellite, extending life of the geostationary satellite Intelsat 10-02. Telecom operators are contracting first services for their satellites, but we will need demonstrations in orbit for this market to mature. One thing is clear though, these demonstrations are fostered when services are bought by institutions as anchor customers. Some programs in the U.S. led by the defense side, or the national stimulus packages (like France 2030 or its equivalent in the U.K. and Italy) have opened the path. The recently awarded first phase of the ISOS4I (ISOS for infrastructure) led by the European Commission is another example of money invested in building technical capabilities through addressing technology and interfaces. Though, to ensure newcomers joining the pool of contestants with valuable solutions, we need to develop "ISOS contributing missions," buying services, towards maturing the rendezvous, proximity operations and docking community and build the space economy revolving around it.
Europe will not build a scalable orbital economy if public procurement still treats every ISOS capability as a bespoke satellite program and, as these servicers will become a persistent dual-use layer, Europe has to act now if it wants to build the large ISOS operators of tomorrow. Many questions remain on the way to operate these services or how to handle them properly to the armed forces for operational needs. If technical bottlenecks are tackled by R&D, notably heavily supported by venture capital, now is also the time to accelerate on the procurement and legal questions surrounding ISOS, in a dialogue to be fostered by armed forces, in close contact with the whole industry. If we really want to set the foot to the stirrup to these activities, to ensure both commercial and institutional markets create long term capabilities to act in space and face next challenges, let's work on their procurement now.
Maxime Jambon is chief public affairs and communication officer and a member of the Executive Committee at Exotrail, a space logistics company founded in 2017. He joined Exotrail in 2022 after seven years at Arianespace, where he contributed to and later led public affairs activities and the Office of the President. He also serves as Secretary of Alliance Newspace France and as a Board Member of the Young European Enterprises Syndicate for Space.
Thank you for reading the article! Follow us at Google News.
