France’s Defence Innovation Agency (DIA) has launched a ground-based initiative to enhance the country’s military space operations.
The “SkyFortress Innovation Acceleration Project” comes amid growing concern over the vulnerability of space infrastructure on Earth, highlighted by cyberattacks on European ground stations early in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The primary focus of SkyFortress is to give the French Armed Forces backup options for planning and conducting space-related missions.
It will test a hybrid network of ground stations to see how quickly and reliably satellite links can be maintained during disruptions.
The agency framed this cluster as essential for controlling satellites, transmitting data, and keeping communication between space and Earth, which are becoming more essential as threats evolve.
The effort is led in partnership with French company Skynopy, whose system uses advanced software to automatically select, activate, and switch between stations in real time, ensuring operations continue even during outages or breaches.
Initial tests will initially cover commercial satellites, with military satellites included in later phases.
“This project aligns with the current priorities of the Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs, which considers the ground segment a critical issue,” the DIA said.
“SkyFortress thus illustrates the progressive integration of civilian operators into the space defense posture.”
Skynopy, established in 2023, now operates 17 ground stations worldwide and supports around ten satellite operators.
The Paris-based company is currently expanding its network through projects like AKAR with Eutelsat, which aims to provide fast, continuous relay between Earth observation satellites across multiple frequency bands.
