As Atlantic Hurricane Begins – SIA Releases New Report Encouraging Governments and Emergency Planners to Consider the Resilience of Satellite Services for Disaster Planning and Response

Satellites Can Provide Vital Services for First Responders, Relief Agencies and Consumers if Terrestrial Networks Are Damaged or Unavailable

Washington, D.C., July 2, 2024 – With the Atlantic hurricane season beginning last month and the National Hurricane Center forecasting above average activity for 2024, the Satellite Industry Association (SIA) today encouraged policy and lawmakers to continue considering the vital role satellites play in providing communications and other important services before, during and after a natural disaster. The Association summarized the various services satellites can provide both pre and post-emergency plus recent industry disaster response initiatives in a new SIA Report titled, “Natural Disasters – Satellites to the Rescue”.

Satellite networks operate far above the Earth’s surface; therefore, they are not vulnerable to damage by storms or other natural disaster emergencies such as wildfires which could damage or impair terrestrial mobile services. Communication and Earth observation satellites provide government, emergency planners, first responders and citizens with wide variety of services including telephony, data connectivity and advanced imaging for improved cyclone and wildfire forecasting and monitoring, plus the ability to track critical emergency assets and assess post-disaster damage.

“With NOAA forecasting a busy Atlantic hurricane season and following last summer’s U.S. wildfire emergencies, it is vital for government planners, relief agencies, private enterprise and even consumers to consider the unparalleled level of reliability and ubiquity of satellite services when planning for natural disasters,” said Tom Stroup, president of the Satellite Industry Association. Because of this reliability, SIA and many of its satellite industry member companies have been collaborating with local, State and Federal government organizations for years and we look forward to continuing to build upon those relationships.

“Satellites have been providing emergency communications and remote sensing data for decades, and now thanks to recent leaps in innovation, new advanced remote sensing and direct to device communications services are now available or are in development, providing even more critical services before, during and after a disaster.”

Satellite Earth observation and remote sensing has greatly expanded in the past five years and these services have enhanced both forecasting and post hurricane/disaster relief. Optical imagery has long been available for forecasters and meteorologists as well as emergency responders for visual reference before and after disasters. Today, thanks to new technological innovations, remote sensing and imaging satellites are capturing optical, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), radio occultation (RO) and other multispectral data from space. Such data provides the ability to monitor and track cyclones and wildfires at night and through canopies, cloud cover and smoke. RO atmospheric temperature, humidity and pressure data is crucial as it helps officials forecast and plan evacuations in areas predicted to be impacted by severe weather or wildfires.

To learn more details about the role satellites can play before and after natural disasters such as hurricanes and wildfires, please click HERE to view a copy of the 2024 SIA Natural Disasters Report.

About The Satellite Industry Association
SIA is a U.S.-based trade association providing representation of the leading satellite operators, service providers, manufacturers, launch services providers, and ground equipment suppliers. For more than two decades, SIA has advocated on behalf of the U.S. satellite industry on policy, regulatory, and legislative issues affecting the satellite business. For more information, visit www.sia.org.

SIA Executive Members include: Amazon; Comtech; DIRECTV; EchoStar Corporation; Eutelsat Group; HawkEye 360; Intelsat S.A.; Iridium Communications Inc.; Kratos Defense & Security Solutions; Ligado Networks; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Northrop Grumman; Planet Labs PBC; SES Americom, Inc.; Spire Global Inc.; and Viasat Inc. SIA Associate Members include: ABS US Corp.; The Aerospace Corporation; Artel, LLC; AST Space Mobile; Astranis Space Technologies Corp.; The Boeing Company; Eutelsat America Corp.; ExoAnalytic Solutions; Inmarsat, Inc.; Kymeta Corporation; Lynk; Omnispace; Ovzon; Panasonic Avionics Corporation; Skyloom; Telesat and ULA. SIA Affiliate Members include: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld LLP; AvL Technologies; Digital Locations, Inc.; DLA Piper; Genus Group; Globalstar; Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn); Hogan Lovells; Integrasys LLC; Keysight Technologies, Inc.; Media Broadcast Satellite; Orange Business; Orbital Research; Peraton; Plexus Corp; SD Government; Sheppard Mullin; Wiley and XTAR, LLC.