Sovereignty: The premium currency of the space economy
Hasan Al Hosani
CEO of Smart Solutions, Space42
Dependence and vulnerability
The global space economy reached $613 billion last year and is growing at 7% annually. Yet most nations remain reliant on foreign satellites and platforms for the data, communications, and analysis which drive this economy, a reliance that exposes them to geopolitical risk and slows their ability to respond in times of crisis.
Sovereignty in this industry matters because it touches lives every day. Farmers need trusted data to protect harvests, city planners require accurate maps to ease traffic, and first responders rely on real-time imagery to save lives. When these essential services are tied to foreign, external systems, governments lose freedom of action and citizens face unnecessary risks.
At Smart Solutions, Space42’s mapping, geospatial intelligence and AI division, we have built our strategy around two core pillars: becoming the preferred partner for premium geospatial data, and establishing global leadership in geospatial intelligence AI platforms and services. These pillars form the foundation that makes sovereignty possible
The solution: building sovereign ecosystems
Sovereignty is the solution to dependence. It ensures nations can act autonomously, protect their citizens, and secure long-term prosperity. Delivering sovereignty requires an integrated ecosystem built on four interlocking pillars:
Mapping: the foundation of national decision-making
Every decision begins with a clear picture of the ground. Without accurate mapping, autonomous vehicles cannot operate, researchers cannot track water, and emergency services cannot reach those in need.
As the preferred partner for premium geospatial data, Space42 delivers the mapping foundation that sovereign nations require. Our decades of expertise, from aerial surveys to imagery from Optical and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites, provide the comprehensive territorial oversight and ensure governments start with a solid foundation. Initiatives like Map Africa, where we aim to extend this mapping foundation to 1.5 billion people across the continent, will replicate the base maps that supported many nations’ development and transformation.
Observation: owning the vantage point
If maps are the foundation, Earth Observation is the vantage point. A sovereign stream of trusted, real-time intelligence gives governments the ability to act at speed. When storms threaten coastal villages or illegal activities unfold at sea, constellations like Foresight, Space42’s SAR constellation, ensure immediate visibility. Owning the vantage point turns intelligence into independence.
AI: turning data into sovereign intelligence
This is where Space42’s leadership in geospatial intelligence AI platforms becomes critical. Data alone does not deliver sovereignty; intelligence does. With sovereign AI platforms like Space42’s GIQ, nations transform imagery into insights that protect borders, manage cities, and improve daily life.
This is already happening. We are developing solutions for disaster responses in GIQ and providing valuable information during dust storms and floods. In 2023, we supported efforts on the ground in response to the Turkey earthquake. These cases illustrate how sovereign intelligence serves as a shield for national security and a bridge to global collaboration and opportunity.
Resilience: building strength at home
Sovereignty also means resilience: the ability to design, build, and sustain systems domestically. When satellites, High Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS), and AI are developed locally or with trusted allies, value stays in the country. Engineers, researchers, and graduates gain the skills to innovate. Instead of sending investment abroad, nations create industries, jobs, and long-term prosperity.
Tailored payloads ensure platforms meet national priorities, delivering secure communications and observation. Offering sovereign assets as a service, Space42 transforms capability into action, ensuring continuity in crises and turning national strength into global opportunity.
Sovereignty in action
The true test of sovereign ecosystems is in times of crisis. Floods, wildfires, and earthquakes require immediate responses, and governments with sovereign assets can act decisively. Rapid deployment of local systems ensures the continuity of critical services and strengthens public trust when it matters most.
Sovereignty also enhances competitiveness. By owning critical platforms, nations capture more value at home and create industries that drive innovation. Domestic capabilities generate high-skilled jobs and attract investment, while also enabling governments to export advanced capabilities abroad, transforming sovereignty into an engine that drives long-term economic growth and global influence.
Ultimately, sovereignty ensures true independence in national strategy. When governments control their own platforms, they can make decisions on security, economics, or climate action, free from foreign constraints. This independence ensures continuity through uncertainty and confidence in long-term planning.
The vision: A global imperative
What began as a national investment is now becoming a global opportunity. By transforming sovereign platforms into exportable solutions, the UAE is directly empowering nations to achieve independence. Domestic investments are now catalysts for regional resilience and global prosperity.
The future of the space economy will belong to nations that own their platforms, protect their citizens, and create industries at home while contributing and collaborating abroad. Space42 is building the infrastructure that makes this sovereignty real.