Ukraine launches first domestic satellite

Ukraine has launched its first domestically developed satellite, named OBRIA NANO, as part of an effort to reduce reliance on foreign satellite services. The satellite was launched on October 1 as part of SpaceX's Transporter-18 mission, which also carried payloads from other companies, including Google's AI chips.

Satellite developed by Ukrainian and Danish companies

The OBRIA NANO satellite was developed by Ukrainian company HIMERA and Danish manufacturer GomSpace. It is now operational and is being used to test technologies that will guide the design of a future constellation of satellites under Ukrainian control.

OBRIA NANO's limited scope

The objective of the OBRIA NANO project is not to cover the entire planet, as SpaceX's Starlink does, but to serve the regional theater at a minimum. Currently, Starlink is used for civilian communications in Ukraine, while its military version, Starshield, is used for the guidance and targeting of Ukrainian drones on the battlefield.

Ukraine's dependence on Starlink

Elon Musk had previously stated that if Starlink were cut off, the Ukrainian front line "would collapse immediately." A recent incident in which Starlink and Starshield were restricted for about ten days reminded Ukraine of the cost of dependence. On October 14, the Ukrainian army noticed, without prior warning, that Starshield was restricted.

U.S. involvement in restrictions

Elon Musk first wrote on October 14 that these limitations were decided by the U.S. army and ultimately by the president of the United States. Washington returned the responsibility to Musk, and he eventually accused Kiev on October 24 of violating the terms of use of Starlink with offensive drone strikes, which Ukraine denied.

Restoration of Starlink services

On October 24, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense noted the return to normal of Starlink and Starshield, with a stable connection beyond 400 km/h. However, this incident had the effect of an electric shock, highlighting Ukraine's dependence on foreign satellites for both communication and observation of the front.

Russian response to Ukrainian satellites

In mid-October, the Russian military satellite Kosmos 2612 was spotted near ICEYE-X36, a commercial radar satellite whose images Ukraine uses. It moved away after a few days, but Kiev understood the warning. Ukraine's planned satellite network must complement European satellite networks, such as the IRIS² project.

Uncertain future for Ukrainian satellite network

HIMERA and GomSpace have not given any dates for the deployment of the OBRIA constellation. Until then, Ukrainian drones will continue to use Elon Musk's satellites. However, if Kiev wants to regain good cards in its hand in its game, it must start somewhere. And the sooner the better.