Safety from the sky: reliable satellites common to EU Member States
The European Union provides reliable and secure satellite communication services to the Member States through the GOVSATCOM service, which is part of the space programme. This will improve the EU's ability to respond to new security threats and reduce dependency on third-party satellites.
Well-functioning telecommunication connections play an important role in the functioning of society and crisis resilience, and they are vital for the functioning of the authorities and critical services. Satellite communications enable communication services anywhere in the world, including in areas with no terrestrial telecommunication infrastructure.
In recent years, significant changes have taken place in the political and security environment of the European Union, affecting the nature and severity of the threats faced by the Union. As part of the EU Space Programme, GOVSATCOM services have been designed to respond to these challenges. GOVSATCOM will ensure the availability of reliable and secure satellite communication services, especially in key tasks in terms of security and critical infrastructure.
Ministry of the Interior as a competent authority in Finland
GOVSATCOM services will be available during 2025. In Finland, the competent GOVSATCOM authority (CGA) is the Ministry of the Interior. The competent authority of a Member State administers national access rights, reports security threats and risks and ensures that the use of services complies with safety requirements.
In the first phase of deployment, Member States will be offered the EU's existing satellite communication services and later also services provided by private operators. Access to these services will be secured through the GOVSATCOM Hub, which connects users and satellite service providers.
The Ministry of the Interior is currently preparing the deployment of services. The services focus on three main areas: crisis management, border and maritime surveillance and management of key infrastructures. The actors involved in these tasks have identified special needs that commercial satellite communication services cannot fully meet.
Satellite technologies responding to security challenges
The Technology Roadmap of the Ministry of the Interior, to be published in April 2025, presents the capabilities and technologies needed in the future to respond to security challenges. Satellite technology is one of the identified future technologies for improving the capabilities of internal security actors.
The Technology Roadmap also examined the extent to which services are used in Finland. Satellite-based high-speed connections enable global telecommunications services for remote and difficult-to-reach areas where conventional land connections do not extend. By using satellites, terrestrial data connections can also be replaced, for example, in connection with natural disasters.
Artificial intelligence has been used in the image - Source: Microsoft Copilot
Authorities have special needs for communications services
Satellite communications enable the efficient functioning of critical services, such as rescue services, the Police and the Border Guard, also in emergency conditions. In addition, services enable seamless flow of information and coordination between different authorities, which is essential for maintaining internal security.
The Technology Roadmap identifies delays and usability as challenges for services if satellites are located on the geostationary (GEO) orbit. The GOVSATCOM services that will be made available in the first phase will utilise satellites on the GEO orbit, which means that their usability in Finland is limited. The first phase of the national introduction is to examine the usability of services in Finland and beyond the borders.
Satellite communications also involve significant threats, such as cyber-attacks on their control systems. Preparedness for these threats is of paramount importance. Cyber security must be improved, backup systems must be ensured, and threats must be observed and combated through continuous monitoring.
GOVSATCOM paves the way for the deployment of the IRIS² satellite system in 2030, which will provide comprehensive and lag-free broadband services globally.
The Ministry of the Interior promotes the deployment and use of the satellite communications connections offered by the EU. General information on satellite communications services provided by the EU will be updated on the project's website in the internal security portal TUOVI. Users who have identified themselves for the service can apply for access to the workspace.
Image Source: European Union Agency for the Space Programme EUSPA
