A matter of national security and economic survival
What happens when your intelligence lifeline is cut?
On Saturday, March 8, 2025, Reuters reported that the U.S. government restricted Ukraine’s access to American intelligence, including satellite-sourced data. In an instant, a nation at war lost critical insights that had been shaping its battlefield strategies.
This is a stark warning for every nation relying on foreign satellite providers.
Australia is no exception. With no sovereign satellite capability of scale, we are dangerously exposed to the political whims of other nations.
If foreign satellites were cut off, Australia would lose:
- Weather tracking – No heatwave or cyclone monitoring
- Financial transactions – No ATM, stock market, or banking coordination
- Maritime and aviation surveillance – No tracking of ships or aircraft
- Military intelligence – No battlefield awareness, troop movement tracking, or defence positioning
- Remote communications – No connectivity for defence, industry, or emergency services
We depend on foreign satellites for all these essential functions. Yet, we have little control over them.
Space is the silent partner in our economy
From defence to banking, logistics to disaster response, space-based technology is interwoven into the fabric of modern society. Yet we rarely acknowledge how vulnerable we’ve become.
While other nations rapidly build sovereign satellite infrastructure, Australia remains dependent on foreign providers. This approach leaves us exposed, both strategically and economically.
A report from the Space Foundation in 2023 warned that nations failing to invest in sovereign space capabilities risk becoming digital colonies, reliant on others for survival.
Unlike emerging economies aggressively building sovereign capability, we are outsourcing our space future to foreign interests, even as global investments in national satellite programs surge.
Space Foundation’s 2023 Annual Report confirms that while other nations rapidly scale up, Australia risks becoming a digital colony, dependent on others for survival.
The defence reality: Space is a force multiplier
Ukraine’s battlefield intelligence advantage evaporated the moment U.S. support shifted. Reports indicate Russian forces advanced almost immediately after access was revoked.
“…coincidences? The universe is rarely so lazy’ –Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The lesson is clear: without sovereign space capability, a nation’s security can be compromised overnight. Yet, Australia remains almost entirely reliant on foreign-owned satellite providers for critical national functions.
The risk of relying on foreign satellite providers
A 2024 policy paper from the Australian Centre for Space Governance highlights alarming risks:
- Data access restrictions – During geopolitical conflicts, foreign powers can cut off intelligence.
- Compromised intelligence – Without direct oversight, data integrity can be questioned.
- Economic disruption – A sudden service loss could cripple industries and government operations.
Defence experts and the Australian Space Agency have long warned that reliance on foreign satellites is a strategic vulnerability.
Australia must take control of Its space future
The Australian Space Agency and defence experts have long warned that reliance on foreign satellite providers is a strategic vulnerability.
The key threats include:
- Loss of control – Governments relying on foreign satellites are at the mercy of external policies.
- Restricted access – Access to critical data can be denied, delayed, or manipulated.
- Security risks – Sensitive intelligence can be withheld or shared with unknown third parties.
Let’s be clear, using Ukraine’s example, even commercially purchased satellite data can be restricted or revoked at any time. For Australia, this means we are not in a good position right now. Is this our wake-up call?
Sovereign space capability enables:
- Independent Earth observation – Critical for defence, infrastructure, and emergency response.
- Reduced dependence – Less reliance on foreign commercial providers.
- Data integrity and quality – Secure, nationally controlled intelligence.
- National security and resilience – Uninterrupted access to crucial information.
- A stronger space industry – Creating local jobs, innovation, and investment.
At Southern Cross Space, we are committed to supporting Australia’s sovereign space ambitions. Our mission is to provide secure, scalable, and independent satellite solutions, ensuring stability and security for our defence and government partners.
It’s time for Australia to transition from being a passive consumer of foreign space data to a key player in global satellite infrastructure.
At Southern Cross Space, we believe every nation deserves a place in space…including Australia.
Let’s start the conversation. Contact us today to explore how sovereign satellite solutions can protect Australia’s future.