By Ruslanas Iržikevičius
NanoAvionics, a Lithuanian company recently acquired by one of the world's biggest defence technology companies Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace, has developed technology and strong positions in the space value chain to support this exponential smallsat growth
Russia's war in Ukraine has magnified satellites' role in defence and intelligence. Even though this has been the case since the dawn of the space age, a new emerging paradigm is commercial satellite operators stepping in to provide surveillance and communications services in conflict areas. In addition, more countries and regions are also building their sovereign communication and satellite-based surveillance capabilities.
Examples covered by popular media show high-resolution images of Russian military equipment on the move through the lens of Maxar, Airbus, and others. Russia could not even mask its actions at night or under cloud cover. In addition, commercial companies like ICEYE, Capella Space, and others provide a look at the frontlines under any conditions using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites. SpaceX Starlink satellites are also delivering crucial connectivity to Ukraine during this war.
These commercial satellites share another commonality - they are not enormous, billion-dollar satellites in high orbits. Instead, they all fall in the 500-kilogram "small satellite" category, which has seen tremendous growth in recent years. Moreover, unlike large traditional satellites, smallsats have much shorter development and manufacturing cycles and can be cost-effectively replaced with improved counterparts frequently. As a result, Euroconsult forecasts the number of smallsats launched will see a four-fold increase over the next decade - from 446 a year between 2012 and 2021 to 1,846 a year between 2022 and 2031.
NanoAvionics, a Lithuanian company recently acquired by one of the world's biggest defence technology companies Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace, has developed technology and strong positions in the space value chain to support this exponential smallsat growth.
NanoAvionics has four hubs globally with sophisticated facilities in Lithuania, the US, and the UK to manufacture small satellite platforms for every kind of payload to support remote sensing missions using optics, SAR, other radars, and complex communications missions. The company also provides launch integration services, ground station networks, and 24/7 satellite operation centres. This end-to-end infrastructure enables organizations to exploit small satellite technology and quickly develop resilient and affordable space capabilities.
Thanks to smallsats, space is no longer a domain solely for governments of large nations. As a result, NanoAvionics sees growing global demand for sovereign satellite capabilities to ensure national security and communication needs. Their customer portfolio encompasses more than 47 nations.
According to Harvard Business Review, space is becoming a potential source of value for businesses across various sectors, including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, and tourism. This space service economy's rapid growth also highlights countries' need for robust space strategies. Countries that do not foster their space industry risk falling behind in national security as well as technological and economic development.