Satellite data has become a key battleground in the Ukraine war

Mykhailo Fedorov, the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, made an appeal to eight satellite operators.

Russia is bombarding our cities every day and night and so many people are in danger, Fedorov wrote in a letter shared on the internet.

We badly need the chance to watch the movement of Russian troops at night when our technologies are not as good.

Fedorov urged the companies to provide satellite imagery. He asked them to work with a satellite imagery firm to process the data.

@eos_da and @maxpolyakov appeal to the global remote sensing firms and organizations to provide real-time SAR data to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine with actionable intelligence. pic.twitter.com/DzfNze3K3r

— Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) March 1, 2022

Fedorov emphasized the need for data from a particular instrument.

The birds-eye views provided by optical data have major blind spots.

When it is overcast or dark, optical satellites use visible, near-infrared, and short-wave infrared sensors to produce images.

SAR bounces microwaves to Earth and back. The image is made from the echoes.

Live SAR data gives critical insights on the enemy troops, regardless of cloudiness, and this is what optical data can provide.

It's pretty cloudy in Ukraine during February. The ability to see through clouds has made Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images — like this one from @capellaspace showing a new Russian unit deploying the border — the breakout "new space" capability of this crisis. pic.twitter.com/1tMjTVLUZd

— Dr. Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) February 22, 2022

Some companies have responded to the call.

The government of Canada gave permission for the Canadian firm to share the imagery.

Images captured by the MDA's SAR technology will be merged and analyzed with other sources of imagery from commercial Earth observation companies to develop comprehensive near real-time intelligence reports.

Not every firm has responded to the plea.

Concerns have been raised over regulatory problems, Russia jamming the satellites, and the risks of private companies entering an armed conflict.

The data can provide crucial assistance in both military and humanitarian efforts.