On Monday, March 10th, the “Planet Labs” based in California, USA, announced that they have expanded their restrictions on access to satellite images in the Middle East region. This move is aimed at preventing hostile forces from using these images to launch attacks on the United States and its allies. It highlights the increasing impact of the commercial space industry on modern conflicts.
The “Planet Labs” informed their customers that the release of satellite images in the Middle East region will now be delayed from the original 4 days to 14 days (2 weeks). They have also widened the observing areas related to conflicts with Iran, including the entire territory of Iran, neighboring US allied bases, Persian Gulf countries, and current conflict zones.
A spokesperson for Planet Labs stated in a statement to Reuters that this is a temporary measure intended to limit the uncontrolled dissemination of images to prevent hostile forces from obtaining them and using them as tactical leverage.
The spokesperson emphasized, “The conflict is rapidly evolving, with many aspects different from before. Therefore, our company is taking strong measures to ensure that our images do not become accomplices in attacking allied countries, NATO personnel, and civilians.”
The company also clarified to Bloomberg that this decision was not influenced by any government demands or pressure, but rather a voluntary step to proactively reduce the risk of their images being misused in the current conflict.
On the other hand, some space experts suggest that Iran may be obtaining these commercial satellite images through other countries hostile to the US.
“Planet Labs” operates hundreds of small “Dove/SuperDove” satellites that capture high-frequency images of the Earth daily, converting remote sensing data into actionable analytical information, which is then sold to various governments, enterprises, and media with real-time updated satellite images.
With modern military operations heavily relying on space technology in various aspects such as target identification, weapon guidance, missile tracking, and communication, the role of the US Space Force as a key player in military operations against Iran was highlighted by US officials last week.
While a spokesperson for US Space Command declined to provide details on the specific capabilities of the current US Space Force, it is understood that Space Command primarily assists in missile tracking, secure communication, and utilizes satellite assets from the Pentagon to provide aerial surveillance and support to ground troops of the US and allied forces.
Previously, high-quality satellite images were limited to a few advanced space-faring nations, but with the proliferation of commercial satellite images, the gap between them is narrowing. Moreover, satellite operators integrating AI technology into their operational systems not only accelerate image analysis but also enable faster identification of critical strategic areas.
British retired Air Force Major General and current defense industry consultant Chris Moore told Reuters, “In the past, such professional analysis was the domain of top military intelligence personnel, but now the situation is vastly different.”
He added, “In the end, satellite will form an ‘all-seeing eye,’ making concealment and deceptive actions of the military increasingly difficult to achieve.”
(This article references Bloomberg and Reuters)