Space technology has transformed from science fiction to business infrastructure more quickly than most executives realize. Satellite connectivity, Earth observation data, and space, based logistics tracking are not just a set of fancy tools for aerospace companies anymore they are practical instruments that mainstream businesses use to solve their genuine operational problems. The challenge is to figure out which space technologies actually work for your business and how to implement them without throwing your money away on the solutions you don’t need.
Most organizations don’t have the space technology know, how internally to evaluate space technology opportunities wisely. Your IT team is familiar with cloud computing and enterprise software, but they probably won’t be able to determine if satellite IoT connectivity is the right option for your remote assets or if synthetic aperture radar imaging could enhance your supply chain visibility. This gap in knowledge leads to risks in both ways: either you miss out on the valuable applications that your competitors will take advantage of, or you pay too much for the space technology that doesn’t bring you significant return on investment.
Satellite Connectivity Is Reshaping Operations
Traditional connectivity solutions fail in a large number of surprising cases in business. Shipping companies lose their visibility once the ships cross the sea. Mining operations are faced with the challenge of communication in remote locations due to the lack of infrastructure. Agricultural businesses need the data from the fields where there is no cellular coverage. These connectivity gaps are costly in terms of lost operational efficiencies, increased safety risks, and missing out on the opportunities for optimization.
Over the past few years, satellite constellations in Low Earth orbit have significantly changed the connectivity equation. Starlink and other new competitors now can provide broadband, level connectivity almost anywhere on Earth, often at prices similar to traditional solutions in remote areas. This change makes the operations that were not financially feasible just five years ago possible.
Earth Observation Data Creates Competitive Intelligence
Satellites nowadays have taken over continuous surveillance of the Earth’s surface with such resolution and frequency that for many purposes traditional surveillance methods have become obsolete. Commercial satellite imaging has evolved from taking the occasional pictures to providing the almost real, time footage of specific sites, assets, and events. Companies are discovering ways to practically use this data, which are totally unrelated to the traditional remote sensing applications.
Financial services companies monitor crop yields, mining activities, and retail parking lots to produce investment insights ahead of quarterly earnings reports. Insurance companies use current satellite images to assess property risks and verify claims instead of relying on old databases. Supply chain managers use shipping data from competitor’s facilities or look at construction work that will affect the transportation routes.
The problem is not with obtaining satellite data as a dozen providers will sell you imagery. The problem lies in identifying what data you genuinely require, how to turn it into actionable intelligence, and if the insight will be worth the expense. Images captured by satellites in their raw form are just pictures unless you possess the analytical capabilities to extract from them the relevant information and further integrate it into your decision, making processes.
Consultants who work with firms like Space Insider help businesses identify specific Earth observation applications that align with their strategic needs. They can assess whether synthetic aperture radar makes sense for monitoring assets through clouds and at night, or whether standard optical imaging suffices. They help you avoid paying for daily updates when weekly monitoring would work fine, or conversely, help you recognize when higher frequency data creates genuine competitive advantages.
Space Technology Enables New Business Models
Some businesses are not simply sourcing space technology to improve their current operations but are in fact creating entirely new business models that revolve around space, based capabilities. This evolution is important even if you don’t intend to send satellites into space yourself because your competitors might be doing exactly that.
Agri, tech companies have started providing satellite, based continuous monitoring services for crop health, soil moisture, and growth patterns. Such services were out of the question economically when satellite imagery cost thousands of dollars per scene. With prices having plummeted and satellites capturing data on a daily basis, precision agriculture is becoming available to not only the giant agricultural conglomerates but also to the smaller farms.
Maritime intelligence companies provide shipping tracking and activity monitoring services based solely on satellite data. They can inform you when a ship docks, how long it stays, what cargo it seems to be loading, and where it is headed next. This type of information is valuable to logistics companies, commodity traders, and anyone whose business depends on having access to maritime activities.
Regulatory and Security Considerations Matter More
As companies harness space technologies, they find that the regulatory frameworks and security issues are quite different from those in their traditional business operations. Satellite imagery and data come with various restrictions on their use; they require licenses and are subject to export controls that could lead to legal exposure if not handled correctly. In some cases, remote sensing images of certain production facilities or territories may have different regulatory treatments than business intelligence.
The issue of cybersecurity becomes entirely new when satellite connectivity or data is involved in your operations. Compared with terrestrial networks, satellite communications have their own sets of threats, thus they require different measures for security. Operators that send confidential data over satellite lines should be well, aware of encryption rules, the possibility of their communications being intercepted, and how to keep their security intact even in places with different data protection laws.
As companies use space infrastructure to scale their operations globally, compliance issues become more challenging. Data sovereignty considerations will dictate how to deal with the satellite data of local operations in different countries. Export controls could limit which satellite services or data you can use for specific applications or in certain markets. Mistakes in these matters may expose companies to severe legal and financial consequences.
Choosing the Right Space Technology Partners
The space technology industry has seen a surge in a multitude of satellite operators, data providers, and service companies, all claiming to have revolutionary solutions. Assessing these suppliers is a challenge for most companies as it requires technical knowledge that they usually do not have in, house. Advertisements make resolution, coverage, and capabilities sound very good, but many times they are not supported by the actual performance.
Mistakes, when choosing a vendor in space technology, are very costly since usually the contracts include large upfront commitments. Satellite connectivity is often tied to a specific hardware installation. Earth observation agreements may require a commitment to a minimum data purchase. If you select the wrong provider or the wrong level of service, you may end up with insufficient capabilities or paying for features that you do not use.
Consultants provide vendor, neutral assessments that are based on actual technical capabilities and business fit rather than on marketing messages. They are capable of determining if a vendor’s coverage claim corresponds to your field of operation, if their data latency is suitable for your use case, and if their roadmap supports your business needs. Such an independent check saves you from a costly vendor lock, in situation with providers whose capabilities do not really match your requirements.
Making Space Technology Work for Your Business
Space technology consulting is not about simply embracing the latest aerospace inventions because they are trendy. It is a matter of carefully assessing whether particular space, based capabilities can address the business problems one has in a more effective way than the other available alternatives. The technology has advanced to the point that the answers are increasingly “yes” in a wide range of industries. However, this is only the case if the implementation is in line with the real operational requirements.
Companies that delay the decision of making use of the advantages brought about by space technologies to their own businesses are at the risk of losing ground to the competitors who had already made their moves at an earlier time.
The enterprises that are currently harnessing the value of satellite connectivity, Earth observation as well as space, based services are not the ones from the aerospace sector but rather the companies from the agriculture, financial services, and logistics sectors, as well as those that belong to different industries. It is no longer a question of whether space technology will eventually have an impact on your industry but deciding if you will be adopting space technology in a strategic manner or just in a reactive way.
Photo by SpaceX: