SPACE STRATEGY 2025 1  

Finland 2025
The world’s most attractive and agile space business
environment which benefits all companies operating here
 The space strategy working group for updating measures
which promote the growth and employment of the space sector
Riikka Heikinheimo, chair, Confederation of Finnish Industries; Ilona Lundström, Ministry of Economic
Affairs and Employment; Laura Vilkkonen, Ministry of Transport and Communications; Raimo Jyväsjärvi,
Ministry of Defence; Nina Brander, Prime Minister’s Office; Pekka Soini, Business Finland; Juhani Damski,
Finnish Meteorological Institute; Tua Huomo, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland; Juha-Matti
Liukkonen, Reaktor Oy; Sauli Eloranta, Rolls Royce Oy; Petri Niemi, G2Invest Oy; Jukka Harju, Tuija Pulkkinen,
Aalto University, until 31 Aug 2018 and Minna Palmroth, University of Helsinki, since 1 Sept 2018. Secretariat
Maija Lönnqvist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment; Olli Lehtilä, Ministry of Transport and
Communications; Markus Ranne, Business Finland.

Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment / Ministry of Transport and Communications / 2018
 SPACE STRATEGY 2025 3  
Photo: Juha Tuomi / Rodeo

Contents

4 Opening words from the ministers

Mika Lintilä, Minister of Economic Affairs
Anne Berner, Minister of Transport and Communications

7 New Space Economy

– revolution of the space business
8 Space strategy renewal
11 Prerequisites for entering the market
13 International impact
15 Research

Intelligent transport is undergoing an

intense revolution and accurate position
determination is a key factor in the
development of automatic transport.
4 SPACE STRATEGY 2025  

Space business is
an opportunity for Finland

The New Space Economy will change Along with the revolution of the space
sector, Finland joined the family of space
space business globally. It refers to nations when the first Finnish satellite,
space business which is carried out by Aalto University’s Aalto-1, was launched into
space in summer 2017. The first commercial
new operators on a commercial basis satellite, X-1, developed by Iceye Oy, was
independent of the government. launched into space in January 2018, on the
same day as the President of Finland ratified
the Act on Space Activities. Several other
The development of small satellites and private small-satellite projects are in hand.
launch services enables cheaper and simpler
access to space. Space applications and data, such The sector is undergoing a rapid revolution, which
as everyday navigation, telecommunications and is why it has also become necessary to update
weather services, are used in almost all industries. the national space strategy drafted in 2013 with
Space activities are also of ever-increasing strategic measures which promote a favourable operating
importance to the functioning of society. environment and sustainable growth of the space
sector. Many of these measures have already been
The change in the operating environment also realised, examples being the New Space Economy
benefits companies operating in other industries programme launched by Business Finland in spring
which are able, in their own business, to exploit data 2018, the Act on Space Activities (63/2018) which
generated by small satellites, for example. The New entered into force in January 2018 and the Business
Space Economy is an opportunity for Finland. Finnish Incubation Centre established by the European
digital expertise serves as a basis for the utilisation Space Agency in Finland. Updating the strategy
of space applications and data in new ways. It is continues the work started with these measures.
important for Finland to ensure that the business
benefits return to Finland in the long term and that Through a joint effort of enterprises, research and
the space business ecosystem evolves in Finland. administration, and with the help of our international
There are already Finnish space companies which network, we can make Finland an agile, bold and
are gathering capital globally. Space applications renewing actor in the utilisation of space.
also play an important role in the development of the
operations of the European Space Agency. Similarly, Mika Lintilä
the data and services produced by the European Minister of Economic Affairs
Union space programme serve as a basis for the new
globally scalable business.
 SPACE STRATEGY 2025 5  

Services based on space activities

are part of our everyday lives

Along with the development of digitalisation, result of which opportunities

have also opened up for smaller
the data, services and applications based on operators to gain a foothold in the
space activities have become an increasingly market alongside large industrial
companies. Even though we
important part of our everyday lives. Satellite already have the first Finnish
navigation offers location information to small satellites in orbit, we have
billions of smartphones and navigators at the no reason to be content with our
position as a small space nation.
precision of a couple of metres. People find In addition to the actual satellites,
their way to their destination with ease, even in we should focus our attention
especially on the increasing
unfamiliar environments, and they receive real- amount of space data and its
time local weather data on their smart phones. exploitation.

As in many other technical fields,

Europe is going through an important stage in the the space sector is no longer driven mainly by the
evolution of satellite navigation as the first services authorities, which has been characteristic of it until
have only recently been introduced in the European now. The sector is evolving based on the needs
global satellite navigation system, Galileo, scheduled of an ever-increasing number of users of space
to be in full use in the 2020s. For Finland it is of data, and the role of the economy is emphasised
utmost importance that, in the commissioning in the generation of solutions serving these needs.
of European satellite systems, equal coverage is Public administration must provide enterprises with
ensured here in the Nordic countries as well, where the prerequisites to openly produce high-quality
our geographic location poses some challenges space data for various purposes. Solutions based
for the full exploitation of accurate navigation. The on space are present in all sectors of our society,
significance of accurate navigation is emphasised and our national space strategy must be updated
in particular in the transport sector along with to correspond to the changes in the operating
new transport services and automated transport environment.
solutions. The new transport solutions and more
efficient utilisation of condition data also have a vitally Finland and Finnish companies have, on the
important role in the fight against climate change. strength of what they choose to do and emphasise,
every chance of rising to be among the best
Comprehensive satellite navigation solutions, and most sustainable actors in exploiting the
efficient data communication links and high-quality opportunities that space has to offer.
expertise in condition data together enable the
development of new innovations and business Anne Berner
in Finland. The space sector is changing, as a Minister of Transport and Communications
 SPACE STRATEGY 2025 6  

Utilisation of the space and space

technology is part of our daily lives
Space has become an integral part of our daily lives.
For example, data communications solutions, transport,
weather forecasting and agriculture and forestry are
highly dependent on the resources offered by satellites.
Involvement of the private sector will make the use of
space resources increasingly cheaper. The resources can
also be utilised in increasingly versatile ways in solving our
everyday challenges and extensive global challenges, such
as climate change. The solutions of the private sector are
expected to bring significant benefit to the development of
automation in different forms of transport. This will create
opportunities for entirely new kinds of business models.

In traffic and transport we utilise navigation

services based on location information
Weather forecasts are based on the data generated
by satellites
Communication satellites transmit real-time
TV broadcasts to our homes
Climate change, deforestation, floods, storms and
other changes and catastrophes in nature can be
monitored, and we can be prepared for them with
the data and images generated by satellites
Security and rescue authorities utilise location
information in their operations
Data generated by satellites can be used for
optimisation in agriculture and forestry
Urban planning, land use and the construction
sector all utilise data generated by satellites

Kuvateksti
Collective
Sed quamCrunch
harcia
is a
nonseque
leading
quia dis quiexpert
consequibus
in forestry
ut quodis
analysis,
dus
esto bearupta
whichestis
helps
dolum
its customers
esecest accum
gain
maximum benefit fromfacessum
data. .
 SPACE STRATEGY 2025 7  

The New Space Economy

– revolution of the space sector

The Finnish national space strategy for 2013–2020 was approved

in 2013. The Finnish Space Committee guides and monitors the
implementation of the space strategy. The goal is that the space
activities in Finland are world-class in selected fields by 2020.

The main aims of the strategy are:  space industry. The New Space Economy refers to
1. Space applications are developed to meet the business using small satellites to deploy systems
increasing requirements of the Arctic area.  which offer commercial services and utilising space
2. The competitiveness of services is strengthened data and applications. The New Space Economy
by open geographic data. enables easier and cheaper access to space than
3. The level of scientific research is raised by ever before. The traditional space industry and the
utilising the programmes of ESA and the EU. New Space Economy complement one another.
4. The space industry will respond to the increasing The New Space Economy is a market-oriented
international competition with applications and continuum for work in the space sector which was
specialisation. formerly publicly funded at a national level.
  
After the preparation of the national strategy, the
emphasis in space activities has shifted to the
utilisation of new business opportunities. Publicly
funded space research and investments in complex
systems have promoted change and growth in the
New Space Economy
space sector from the traditional space industry to
a sector which produces services through space New space nations
Small satellites,
constellations
data and applications. Space is one of the central
enablers of digitalisation and platform economy. New operators New launching services

Data, services, applications,

The traditional space industry develops, designs Significant private funding
IoT, connectivity
and manufactures components and instruments
for satellites as well as the systems required in New business models Scalability
them for the needs of the private and public sector.
Innovative industrial
Important financing channels for the traditional New industries
solutions
space industry include, for example, orders placed by
ESA, the European Organisation for the Exploitation Traditional space industry
of Meteorological Satellites EUMETSAT and the EU.

In recent years, a new operating model, the New Science Space systems Military systems
Space Economy, has emerged next to the traditional
8 SPACE STRATEGY 2025

Space strategy renewal

The revolution in the space sector challenges Finland to renew

its space strategy. Mika Lintilä, Minister of Economic Affairs,
and Anne Berner, Minister of Transport and Communications,
set up a working group in March 2018 with the task of
preparing a proposal for the new measures in the Finnish
space strategy to promote growth and employment.

The aim of the working group was to create a firm entering the market; space data and applications;
common understanding between representatives of research and education; and international impact.
the economy, research and administration on what Under each theme, the working group heard
kind of choices, emphases and structures will enable enterprises and research organisations: Iceye Oy,
Finland to be among the top nations in utilising the Space Systems Finland Oy, Here Oy, Collective
opportunities that space has to offer. The proposal Crunch Oy, the National Land Survey of Finland/
drafted by the working group was to meet the Spatial Data Centre, the Finnish Meteorological
following opportunities and challenges, among Institute and the European Space Agency.
others: securing the business prerequisites of the
New Space Economy; promoting the introduction The working group was chaired by Riikka
of new innovations in different application areas; Heikinheimo from the Confederation of Finnish
securing access to the data generated by satellites; Industries. The members of the working group were
improving the international visibility of Finnish space Ilona Lundström, Ministry of Economic Affairs and
sector; efficient utilisation of the frameworks offered Employment; Laura Vilkkonen, Ministry of Transport
by the European Space Agency and the European and Communications; Raimo Jyväsjärvi, Ministry
Union; public measures to support forerunner of Defence; Nina Brander, Prime Minister’s Office;
markets; the role of research and education; and Pekka Soini, Business Finland; Juhani Damski,
efficient space administration. Finnish Meteorological Institute; Tua Huomo,
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland; Juha-
The mandate of the working group extended from Matti Liukkonen, Reaktor Oy; Sauli Eloranta, Rolls
1 March 2018 to 31 October 2018. The working Royce Oy; Petri Niemi, G2Invest Oy; Jukka Harju,
group gathered to meet seven times and it organised Tuija Pulkkinen, Aalto University, until 31 Aug 2018
two complementary workshops and a discussion and Minna Palmroth, University of Helsinki, since
for companies. The meetings of the working group 1 Sept 2018.
were divided across four themes: prerequisites for
 SPACE STRATEGY 2025 9  

The recommendation from the working

group for the development of space
administration
The task of the working group was to assess how Finnish space
administration should be organised to best promote the creation
of an attractive operating environment in Finland.
At the moment, Finnish space administration is decentralised.
The Finnish Space Committee operating in conjunction with the
Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment gathers the views
of different administrative branches. The ministries are, however,
themselves responsible for the development and utilisation of
space activities in their own administrative branch. In a survey
ordered by the Ministry of Transport and Communications,
the shortcomings identified concerning decentralised space
administration were difficulties in coordination, lack of clarity of
responsibilities as well as scattered resources and lack of full-
time commitment.
The working group concludes that development of space
administration is needed. The working group did not, however,
want to take a stand concerning the structure of the
administration, but rather concluded that further work by
the ministries is required for that.
According to the working group, the tasks of space administra-
tion are to coordinate Finland’s international representation and
impact, to promote the opportunities of the sector in its global
revolution, to implement, monitor and update the space strategy
measures as well as to implement and develop legislation and
permit procedures related to space activities. The working group
found that, for the completion of these tasks, at least partial
centralisation of the administration would be necessary.
Additionally, adequate personnel and potentially also economic
resources should be secured for the administration. The working
group found it important not to create a space administration
with a stiff, permanent structure but rather an administration
that is flexible and capable of reacting to changes in the sector.
Photo: Matias Takala

The Finnish Meteorological Institute provides

weather services and consultation for various users.
 SPACE STRATEGY 2025 10  

VISION

Finland is an attractive operating environment

for the developers and adapters of the space
sector. We have supportive legislation and a
comprehensive field of easily approachable
operators. Our companies base their operations
on versatile expertise and are global leaders in
producing and applying space solutions.

Space Systems Finland supports its

customers in designing and developing
ICEYE offers timely and complex industrial applications such as
reliable radar satellite imaging data processing applications, control
for a variety of industries. systems and test automation solutions.
 SPACE STRATEGY 2025 11  

Prerequisites for
entering the market

Measures Goals by 2025

PILOT PROJECTS Business Finland increases The turnover of enterprises producing

the attractiveness of the sector by enabling and satellite technology (upstream) has
encouraging experimental pilot projects. grown 25-fold (current estimate EUR 20
million). The turnover of enterprises applying space
ENABLING The Ministry of Economic Affairs technology and space data (downstream) has
and Employment, the Ministry of Transport and grown 10-fold (current estimate EUR 300 million).*
Communications and Business Finland open
opportunities provided by space to a larger Utilisation of information and signals
group of enterprises. based on space activities is an everyday
part of the business of Finnish companies
Business Finland identifies and facilitates the irrespective of the sector. Fifty new space sector
international opportunities to utilise Finnish companies have been established here.
space solutions and space data and facilitates
investments in Finland. Finnish companies and research
organisations are involved in designing,
FINANCING The Ministry of Economic Affairs implementing and utilising the space
and Employment, Business Finland, Finnvera infrastructure jointly determined by the public
and Tesi facilitate patient financing for space and commercial sector, as well as its validation
infrastructure projects by attracting foreign and ground segment.
financing and by developing public funding
opportunities. Finnish operators are leading and
attractive partners in the best
REFERENCES The authorities make international projects of the sector.
acquisitions through which the enterprises
in the space sector will receive their first Finnish companies in the space sector
reference. Business Finland will continue the have gathered a total of MEUR 300 of
financing of preparations for innovative public capital from abroad. The Finnish operating
procurements. environment of the space sector attracts the
best experts to the country. Ten notable foreign
LEGISLATION The authorities ensure that the space companies have established an operative
national legislation supports business and does unit in Finland.
not unnecessarily limit it and that the permit
processes related to space activities work The authorities make 1% worth of
smoothly (authorisation for space activities, reference procurements out of their annual
export licences, radio licences). procurements. The procurement plan is
published in advance annually. The authorities have
The authorities involved, together with the adequate satellite capability in their use.
security authorities, form a common opinion
on ground station investments and implement The needs for amendments to national
the necessary amendments in legislation in legislation have been analysed from the
consideration of national security. viewpoint of national security by 2021.

*Estimates on the current state are based on the surveys made by Tekes in autumn 2017.
 SPACE STRATEGY 2025 12  

VISION

Photo: Sinergise / ESA

The enterprises and research organisations
operating in Finland resolve the challenges
of sustainable growth by means of top-class
space activities in close cooperation with
the operators of the target market and the
scientific community around the world.

The space business employs

more than 230,000 people
in the EU area. One third of
the world’s satellites are
manufactured in Europe.
 SPACE STRATEGY 2025 13  

International impact

Measures Goals by 2025

SPACE ADMINISTRATION The Ministry of Economic Affairs The central operations of the
and Employment updates the tasks and composition of space administration have
the Finnish Space Committee and enhances its activities. been put together by 2020.
In addition, the ministries foster the establishment of a The effectiveness and impacts of
centralised space administration. centralisation is assessed in 2023.

INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATION The Finnish Space Finland is represented by the right

Committee maps out the Finnish representatives in parties in the most important
international bodies, expert groups and standardisation international bodies and expert
organisations and coordinates the nomination and activities groups and especially in the space
of the representatives in the future. activities of the EU (space programme +
research programme). A centralised space
MARKETING Ministries, agencies, enterprises and research administration coordinates the opinions
organisations market Finnish space knowhow together of Finland.
and ascertain its visibility internationally, and actively and
systematically promote the access of Finns to influential Finnish companies and research
positions in international organisations. organisations participate
actively in selected working
INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS The ministries involved groups of standardisation and industrial
participate in determining the international regulations organisations (e.g. ISO, 3GPP, Eurospace,
in the EU, COPUOS and through other international EAK, ECSS).
cooperation, promoting especially the sustainable use of
space, new business opportunities and security aspects. The accuracy of satellite
navigation has been improved
ESA PROGRAMMES The Finnish ESA delegation, enterprises by 2022 to match the level of
and research organisations are active in the creation and Central Europe, and more remote sensing
planning of ESA’s new programmes and missions, utilising data than today is available from the
especially the small satellite/IOD type or other agile Arctic areas. The availability of data
solutions that are quick and inexpensive to develop . communications in Arctic areas based
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and on satellites has been promoted through
Business Finland analyse the possibilities for additional international cooperation.
funding for ESA’s optional programmes.
Finnish companies and research
EU SPACE PROGRAMME The Ministry of Economic organisations participate to a
Affairs and Employment and the Ministry of Transport and significant extent in the optional
Communications will impact the development of the EU ESA programmes and new Finnish
space programme in the direction of promoting sustainable companies are involved. Finland’s overall
use of space, new innovations and new business return from ESA’s programmes meets
opportunities. The goal is also taken into account during the the targets.
forthcoming EU Presidency of Finland.
 
IMPROVED COVERAGE The Ministry of Transport and
Communications promotes the resolution of coverage
problems concerning Finland and Arctic areas and
better availability of remote sensing materials and data
communications links.
 SPACE STRATEGY 2025 14  

VISION

Companies and research organisations

operating in Finland renew the utilisation
of space in a sustainable way and
participate in the best space projects.

Centre of excellence for research in sustainable

Photo: University of Helsinki

space conducts research on central scientific

matters from the viewpoint of sustainable
utilisation and develop sustainable technologies
with the aim of improving the international
competitiveness of Finnish space expertise.
 SPACE STRATEGY 2025 15  

Research

Measures Goals by 2025

JOINT PROJECTS Business Finland, research There are a larger number of

organisations and companies promote business- high-quality joint projects ongoing
oriented joint projects between companies between Finnish and foreign
operating in the upstream and downstream research organisations and enterprises.
sectors and research organisations in the fields of
communication, navigation and remote sensing. Finnish companies and research
organisations have a leading role in
FUNDING Business Finland’s offering includes ESA and EU projects.
funding for cooperation which promotes
growth and improves expertise in space sector Finland is the home of leading
companies and research organisations. The applied research in the space
Academy of Finland promotes high-quality, sector, including in the areas of
influential and responsible research in the satellite navigation, remote sensing and
space sector which is based on competition and data communications satellites, as well as
supports the creation of cooperation networks in the environment and climate change.
the high-quality projects it is financing.
The operators of the space sector
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Research have no lack of expertise which
organisations and funding agencies take the would hamper their operation.
UN’s goals for sustainable development into
account in allocating research and funding.

COMPETENCE The Ministry of Economic Affairs

and Employment, the Ministry of Transport and
Communications and the Ministry of Education
and Culture ensure that the ministries continue to
cooperate to improve expertise base in Finland.

TRAINING To ensure an adequate expertise base,

institutions of higher education will strongly focus
on versatile education which serves the needs of
the space sector.
 Finland 2025
The world’s most attractive and agile space
business environment which benefits all
companies operating here

www.tem.fi / www.lvm.fi