The Ministry of Defence coordinates space-related matters in its administrative branch in cooperation with the Defence Command’s key divisions. It also chairs the defence administration’s space coordination group. In line with the Act on space activities (63/2018), the Ministry of Defence is responsible for the general guidance and oversight of space activities in the Defence Forces. Based on the rules of procedure, the Ministry’s departments are responsible for steering the defence administration’s space policy and space-related capability projects. The government set up the Space Committee, which operates under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. The Ministry of Defence is represented in the Committee, its secretariat and working groups. Finland’s space strategy was updated in 2018 under the leadership of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The Finnish Space Committee steers and oversees the implementation of the national space strategy.
Space defence protects national defence functions and the rest of society against threats from outer space and safeguards the functioning of space systems and services critical to society under all circumstances. Continuously increasing space debris poses significant collision risks to space objects, such as satellites. Space objects may collide, but damaging or destroying them may also be deliberate. Furthermore, uncontrolled return of space objects and space debris to the atmosphere poses risks to air traffic and the people, objects and structures on the Earth. The space situation awareness helps to reduce the risks mentioned above.
The activities of the Defence Forces and other authorities are increasingly dependent on space systems. The space situation awareness referred to above forms the basis for space defence. The Defence Forces develop their capacity to maintain a round-the-clock situation awareness in cooperation with other authorities and international partners.
