ICEYE satellite, purchased by Serhiy Prytula with donations, will remain the full property of Ukraine even after the expiration of access to the database

By: Elena Shcherban | 20.08.2022, 12:20

Volunteer Serhiy Prytula shared the details of the agreement of the satellite ICEYE purchase.

What we know

Recall that initially the money was collected for the purchase of drones Bayraktar, but in the end the Turkish manufacturer promised to provide them to Ukraine for free. Therefore, the collected amount was spent on a satellite and access to the database of the constellation of satellites.

According to Prytula, the owner of the satellite is Ukraine, and it is the Ukrainian side that determines what and when it takes pictures and in what format and spectrum the data will be received. That is, no one but Ukraine will be able to manage and use the images from the satellite. The satellite remains the full property of Ukraine even after the expiration of the period of access to the database, up to the expiration of its functionality in orbit. Moreover, the satellite is insured: if anything happens to it before the expiration of its guaranteed lifetime, ICEYE will be obliged to provide Ukraine with an identical satellite.

"Provision is made for the further re-registration of the satellite in the relevant registries in Ukraine. This is a legal procedure that takes a certain amount of time, because it requires compliance with the necessary regulations, changes in registries, etc." - Prytula said.

How does a satellite work?

Unlike an optical satellite that can work only during the day and in the clear sky, the SAR satellite acts as a lantern - it illuminates the surface of the earth with its own radio waves. Therefore, obstacles, night, clouds, rain, fog, and smoke are not important for imaging. The SAR satellite "penetrates" everything with its radio waves. The resolution is 0.5 to 1 meter depending on the area covered by the image. One image can cover an area of up to 225 square kilometers.

The satellite passes over the territory twice a day. Only the Ukrainian side, as the owner of the satellite, receives satellite images of the country's territory, so access is exclusive. When the satellite is not flying over the territory of Ukraine, the country can receive data thanks to access to the constellation of SAR satellites of the ICEYE company. Thus, continuous data acquisition is ensured.

Thanks to the fact that Ukraine bought the satellite, the process of data transfer from the moment of image made to the moment of its receipt directly by the military units is reduced to a few hours. In wartime conditions, the speed of data acquisition is a significant advantage.

"Ownership of the ICEYE satellite allows Ukraine to receive exclusive imagery continuously, guaranteed and 24/7 in all weather conditions, despite rain, snow, fog, smoke and dust by day and night. These images help to better plan operations and thus destroy the enemy more effectively," emphasized Serhiy Prytula.

Source: Serhiy Prytula
Photo: ICEYE

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