Running story
The geopolitical power plays in Earth observation
As global strategic rivalries return to the fore - in Ukraine, Gaza, the Taiwan Straight and in Africa, where Russia is a force to be reckoned with - accumulating crises are influencing the spy-satellite power players: who observes what, who sets up where, who sows alliances with whom and, increasingly, who releases what data publicly.
The upshot is that the targets selected for observation, the countries being courted, and the NGOs and broadcasters being brought into the loop all provide insight into the major space players' strategies and focal points.
