Securing data from satellites is only the first step. Having data does not mean it immediately becomes information. What matters is how fast and accurately you can extract the needed information from it.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the competitive landscape of the satellite industry. In the past, it mattered how sharp a satellite image you could take; now, the edge lies in how quickly AI can analyze vast footage to tell you "what is happening where." Finland space information corporations ICEYE is pushing "AI-based space intelligence," not just simple satellite photos. Pekka Laurila, ICEYE co-founder and chief strategy officer (CSO), said in a written interview with ChosunBiz on the 14th, "As the number of satellites and observation frequency increase, there are limits to people looking at every frame themselves," adding, "AI is the key means to automatically detect meaningful changes in the vast satellite data and speed up analysis."
ICEYE's AI system Detect & Classify automatically detects and classifies ships, aircraft, and vehicles in SAR imagery. According to ICEYE, accuracy exceeds 90%. The goal is to cut the bottleneck that occurs when humans analyze countless satellite images one by one and quickly deliver information needed for defense and security and disaster response.
The company's strength is that it reduced synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites, which used to weigh more than 1 ton (t), to under 100 kilograms and built a mass-production system. It also integrated everything from satellite design and manufacturing to ground infrastructure, operations, and AI analysis into one system. Founded in Finland in 2014, ICEYE was valued at more than 10 billion euros (about 17 trillion won) during a funding round in June.
ICEYE has raised its profile in the military and security field amid the Russia-Ukraine war. In 2022, Ukraine used one ICEYE SAR satellite exclusively and secured rights to access the satellite constellation's imagery, which it used to track Russian troop movements and military facilities. According to Ukraine's defense intelligence agency, by June 2024, imagery of Russian targets secured via ICEYE satellites totaled 4,173. As SAR satellites, which can observe the ground with little impact from clouds or darkness, saw real-world use as collection tools on the battlefield, ICEYE's technology also drew attention.
Laurila is set to attend SMARTCLOUD SHOW 2026, the country's largest tech conference, at the Westin Josun Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul, on the 26th, where he will outline how AI and satellite data will reshape the future of the space intelligence industry. The following is a Q&A with him.
◇ "SpaceX solves the problem of getting to space… ICEYE solves the problem of seeing from space"
—What led you to found ICEYE?
I met co-founder Rafal Modrzewski through the Aalto-1 nanosatellite project at Aalto University in Finland. The starting point was the question of how to reliably understand a situation when optical satellites cannot see the ground due to clouds, darkness, or bad weather.
SAR could solve this problem, but at the time, government-led large satellites weighing 2 tons and costing 1 billion euros were the norm. The industry said sub-100-kilogram SAR satellites were impossible, but we disagreed. We proved the technical feasibility in 2015 and, in 2018, placed ICEYE-X1, the world's first sub-100-kilogram commercial SAR satellite, into orbit.
—What has changed the most since founding?
The scale has changed. Since launching our first satellite in 2018, we have sent 76 satellites into space. In the early days, annual launches were in the single digits, but after building a mass-production system recently, we raised production speed to around 50 per year. By the end of 2027, we plan to expand to around 100 per year.
—Do you agree with the label "SpaceX of Europe"?
We solve different problems. SpaceX lowered launch expense and increased cadence through rocket reuse, solving the "getting to space" problem. ICEYE solves the problem of acquiring, from space, the information needed for defense and intelligence, environmental monitoring, insurance, and disaster response quickly and continuously.
In the past, radar satellites were operated by countries that used one or two expensive, large satellites over long periods. If you make satellites smaller and cheaper, you can operate dozens or hundreds of them and observe the same area more frequently and more widely. There is also the advantage that even if some satellites have issues, it is easier to maintain the overall system's observation capability. In that sense, if SpaceX solved the transport bottleneck of getting to space, ICEYE can be seen as solving the bottleneck of how quickly and how often you can get the needed information from space.
—Where does ICEYE's industrial competitiveness come from?
We have continued to improve performance while making satellites smaller and cheaper. Our latest fourth-generation (Gen4) satellites provide up to 16-centimeter-class resolution. Another strength is vertical integration from satellite design and manufacturing to ground infrastructure, AI analysis, and operational support.
In particular, our sovereign satellite systems are built in Europe and are not subject to the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Military equipment subject to ITAR may require U.S. government approval for retransfer to third countries or during technology sharing and upgrades. Having fewer such constraints is important for countries that want to operate space assets independently.
—What parts are hard for competitors to follow?
Having satellites alone does not create capability. You must connect sensors and satellites, ground systems, and AI analysis into one end-to-end information system. Our strength is integrating all these elements into a single system and turning them into a truly operational intelligence capability. For example, in May 2026, we delivered a fully operational sovereign space intelligence system to the Polish government. It took 12 months from contract signing to achieving full operational capability.
◇ "More important than image sharpness is quickly understanding 'what happened'"
—Will corporate value come more from data and software than from satellites going forward?
I don't see it as one or the other. You need satellites to generate data. But having data does not mean it immediately becomes information. As the number of satellites and the volume of data increase, the ability to quickly find the needed information within it becomes more important.
—How does AI analyze satellite imagery?
By combining SAR imagery with AI, we automatically detect and classify ships, aircraft, and vehicles. Accuracy exceeds 90%. We cut bottlenecks that occur when humans analyze images one by one, process more imagery faster, and support decision-making in defense and security and disaster response.
—Is repeat observation becoming more important than a single ultra-high-resolution image?
A single SAR image shows only that moment. By observing the same place repeatedly, you can see what changes over time. Typical examples include the spread of floods and wildfires, changes in border regions, and movements of illegal vessels. If you can revisit an area only once every few days, that is closer to surveillance than intelligence. True intelligence capability means being able to look at the same area multiple times a day, regardless of weather.
—If so, is ICEYE ultimately selling "information," not satellite images?
Our goal is to help customers make faster and more accurate decisions. Using AI, we automatically convert satellite imagery into actionable intelligence and quickly find changes and behavior patterns across more imagery. In the end, what matters to customers is not receiving sharp satellite photos but how quickly they can learn where and what is happening.
◇ "For Korea's space intelligence sovereignty, the key is reducing external reliance, not merely owning satellites"
—What does Korea need to secure true "space intelligence sovereignty"?
True sovereignty is less about what you possess than what you depend on. If foreign suppliers or governments can limit what Korea can see, how quickly it receives information, or with whom it shares information, that cannot be called full sovereignty. Korea needs satellites it owns and commands, ground systems installed on Korean territory and operated by Korean personnel, independent tasking authority that cannot be interfered with from abroad, and data stored and processed domestically.
—What cooperation do you have with Korea?
Korea is already building indigenous capability through the 425 Project (a program to deploy five military reconnaissance satellites for independent surveillance and reconnaissance by the Korean military). Separately, ICEYE has also begun commercial cooperation in Korea. We are conducting flood monitoring with KT SAT and have signed an agreement with South Gyeongsang Province.
—Could cooperation expand to satellite production or technology transfer?
We are open to deep cooperation in all areas. What matters is setting the scope of local participation to match each country's needs. It could be production, operations, or developing domestic talent. We are ready to discuss which approach is most appropriate for Korea.