Public authorities, crisis managers and engineers from the Baltic states met in Tallinn on 27 October to work through how EU space services can keep essential operations running when navigation, communications and alerting systems fail.
The Space Services for Resilience workshop, held at Fotografiska as the opening day of the Software Defined Space Conference, was the first edition of a regional format organised by the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), the Prague-based agency that runs the EU satellite programmes, and Eurisy, a Paris-based association of space agencies and research institutions, with the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications and the Estonian Space Office. Civil protection, emergency, border, maritime and defence specialists from Estonia, Finland and the region matched their requirements against services already in orbit.
Space becomes strategic when society keeps running
Paul Liias, Head of Space at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, said: “Space becomes strategic when it keeps society functioning. Our challenge now is to turn European capabilities into practical tools that authorities across borders can use when communications, positioning or other critical services are under pressure.”
EU space services tested under pressure
Participants worked through a single cross-border scenario that combined severe weather, hybrid threats, satellite navigation spoofing and a debris re-entry, testing how satellite data feeds situational awareness when several systems degrade at once. Galileo supplies the positioning, navigation and timing that rescue services, logistics and critical networks rely on; Copernicus supplies the imagery and environmental data used to assess flood, storm and infrastructure damage.
Rodrigo Da Costa, Executive Director of EUSPA, said: “The EU Space Programme and the resilience of Europe are closely connected. EUSPA plays a key role in both, ensuring the secure operation of space programme components while transforming space assets into operational services that support authorities on the ground. Whether through secure communications, emergency warning capabilities or enhanced situational awareness, our goal is to help users maintain critical operations when they need them most.”
Alerting and secure links when networks fail
Two demonstrations took place. The upcoming Galileo Emergency Warning Service (EWSS) will broadcast alerts directly to smartphones and other Galileo-enabled devices without relying on terrestrial radio networks, which often fail during disasters. The GOVSATCOM Hub Service pools governmental and commercial satellite capacity into one secure service for authorised governmental users, including crisis responders.
Drones, training and uptake
Discussions also covered combining technologies with drone capability for surveillance and response, and the training and user uptake needed before EU space assets become a routine procedure. Estonian robotics company Milrem Robotics, which has partnered with international defence firms including Overwatch and Hanwha Aerospace, took part in a panel on space-supported drone operations.
Eric Morel de Westgaver, President of Eurisy, said: “The Baltic Sea region faces a complex security reality where hybrid threats, critical infrastructure vulnerabilities, and interference require immediate, and coordinated answers.” In an era of disruptions, he said, resilience means users “stay connected, stay informed, and be ready to prepare and react.”
Estonia’s space sector has grown from ground-segment software and cybersecurity into satellite components and Earth observation, with research groups now contributing to ESA Earth observation missions.
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