ICEYE and IHI unite to bolster Japan's satellite prowess
The Polish-Finnish company ICEYE has entered into a collaboration with the Japanese company IHI Corporation, which specialises in heavy industry. The aim is to create a constellation of SAR satellites for both civilian and military use. Here are the capabilities Japan will gain.
The planned constellation, consisting of up to 24 satellites, is intended to provide observational data for the military, public administration, and the commercial sector. The cooperation agreement was signed during the DSEI Japan defence exhibition, an event held every two years at Makuhari Messe near Tokyo.
As part of the collaboration, IHI and ICEYE plan to establish a satellite production facility in Japan to meet the country's needs. This initiative aims to support Japan's space ambitions by developing the industry and strengthening national security. The project still requires the finalisation of agreements and official approvals.
The CEOs of both companies commented on the event.
SAR satellites — seeing where optical satellites cannot
Observational satellites can be divided into two main groups. The first includes optical satellites, which allow for very high-resolution imaging, including infrared. However, their operation is limited by atmospheric conditions, such as dense clouds.
The second category includes satellites using SAR technology, which use radar to obtain high-resolution images, even through clouds. These images perfectly reproduce the shapes of objects, although they sometimes require support from traditional satellite images.
ICEYE's MikroSAR satellites are constructions weighing between 220 and 440 pounds, equipped with radar operating in the X-band. In addition to being able to recognise terrain obscured by clouds, these types of satellites can distinguish decoys from real machines based on differences in the radar signatures of the materials used.
