Finnish companies ICEYE and Nokia have agreed to develop secure, sovereign low Earth orbit satellite communication systems for governments and defence customers. The first satellites under the partnership are expected to launch in 2028. The deal pairs a space technology company known for radar imaging with a network infrastructure group, and both are based in Finland.
The two firms bring different strengths to the deal. Helsinki-based ICEYE builds synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites, which can monitor the Earth in any weather, day or night, and it has experience delivering satellite missions that governments own outright. Nokia contributes its secure networking infrastructure, drawing on a business that spans fixed and mobile networks, IP and optical networking, core networks and data centres. Together they plan to offer a full package of satellites, ground infrastructure and ruggedised user terminals. Because ground infrastructure and terminals are part of the same package, a government could operate the whole chain itself.
The systems are aimed at defence operations, border security, emergency services and disaster response. They are designed to add to existing military and commercial networks rather than replace them, and to keep critical communications running if networks on the ground fail or are compromised. ICEYE chief executive and co-founder Rafal Modrzewski pointed to his company’s record, saying it delivered Poland its own radar satellite system in under a year. He added: “Nations must be able to fully own and control their communications.”
Nokia president and chief executive Justin Hotard said the partnership would give nations the situational awareness, connectivity and control they need, offering “secure, resilient connectivity across land, sea, air and space”. ICEYE already serves customers in defence and intelligence, environmental monitoring, insurance and emergency management, including governments that want satellite capabilities of their own. The tie-up with Nokia extends that offer from radar imaging into communications.
The agreement brings together two of Finland’s best-known technology names at a time when governments are paying closer attention to who controls the systems they rely on in a crisis. The focus on sovereignty means customers would own and run their networks rather than buy capacity from a shared provider. The next milestone is the planned first launch in 2028, which will show how quickly the companies can turn the partnership into satellites in orbit and working systems on the ground.
