‘People’s Satellite’ Surpasses Its Warranty Period

One of the two ICEYE satellites purchased for the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) continues to operate beyond its expected lifespan, supporting Ukraine’s interests.

This was reported in an article by the European Pravda newspaper.

The ‘People’s Satellite,’ purchased for UAH 600 million by the Serhii Prytula Charity Foundation, was launched into space in 2021 and has already surpassed its three-year warranty period.

Nick Kovalskyi, a representative of the manufacturer, confirmed that the satellite is functioning well and will continue to support the Ukrainian military until the end of its operational life.

Additionally, the second ICEYE satellite, purchased by the German government at the end of last year, is also supporting Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence. Its launch date remains undisclosed.

ICEYE’s cameras are unique because they don’t capture images in the traditional sense. Instead, they use Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology. From an altitude of 500 km, these cameras emit radar waves that bounce off objects on the Earth’s surface and return to the satellite, creating highly detailed images of activities below.

Radar waves can penetrate clouds and even some shelters, so the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine can quickly receive images from anywhere on the planet, including at night.

Satellite Intelligence in the War with Russia

The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine said that 5,200 images were taken with the help of ICEYE satellites, 1,000 of which were taken in the last six months alone.

According to DIU spokesman Andrii Yusov, more than 40% of the photos were used for combat damage, and the enemy suffered billions of dollars in losses.

There is a significant difference between “owning” satellites and having access to imagery from an entire satellite fleet. Each satellite typically conducts an average of 2.5 effective overflights per day over Ukrainian territory, with these capabilities being guaranteed to the owner. As a result, our intelligence agencies can rely on their two satellites to receive real-time data about areas of interest.

In contrast, accessing images through a company’s entire satellite fleet would mean longer wait times for photos, as other clients also await their turn for satellite coverage.

According to Serhii Prytula, the time difference between receiving data from partners’ satellites and our own is about six times.