The European Space Agency's Earth observation program is ESA's largest program. Its annual budget is 2.58 EUR Billion (2025), with funding coming from 27 participating countries. Finland is currently involved in ESA programs related to Earth observation, space science, navigation, satellite communications, demonstration of new technologies, environmental monitoring, and security. This year, Finland has been a member of ESA for 30 years.

The meeting in Saariselkä will bring together 80 representatives from 27 participating countries.

- Over the next three years we will work closely with the Finnish Meteorological Institute to turn their Arctic Space Centre into a supersite. The centre’s high-latitude position and being surrounded by boreal forest, which is representative of the wider circum-polar forest and tundra ecosystem, make it ideal to validate and calibrate data from our satellites as they orbit above. The new supersite will help improve the quality of satellite-based information and stimulating stimulate new services and applications relevant to the Arctic. This will not only bring benefits to ESA and our understanding of the forest-tundra environment, but will also provide opportunities for Finnish industry to develop and test new environmental sensors and technology”, says Simonetta Cheli, Director of Earth Observation Programmes at ESA.

Growth of a New Sector in Finland: New Space Companies

Finland's role in ESA has grown even more significant in recent years, with Finnish professor Jarkko Koskinen being elected as the Chairman of ESA's Earth Observation Programme Board in September 2023. At the National Land Survey of Finland, Koskinen leads the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute (FGI).

- Finnish participation in ESA programs has created significant applications in Finland with great societal importance. For example, sea ice mapping and monitoring enable efficient operation of icebreakers. ESA has also supported the success and transformation of the Finnish New Space ecosystem. As Finland lacks a dedicated space agency, it is natural that ESA serves as the backbone of Finland's space activities, Koskinen notes.

The interest in new space business in Finland is demonstrated by the innovation program Phi-Lab Finland, launched by ESA in January 2025. The innovation program aims to commercialize space technology and finance new startup projects.

ESA Involved in Establishing Satellite Center in Sodankylä

There is significant uncertainty associated with the sources and sinks of carbon dioxide and methane. Through satellite and precise ground-based observations, it is possible to obtain significantly better information on these. The Finnish Meteorological Institute is one of the leading players in the field. Alongside the meeting, ESA will unveal a new investment in Finland, as ESA, together with the Finnish Meteorological Institute, establishes the Arctic Satellite Calibration and Validation Center in Sodankylä (Arctic-Boreal Earth Science, Calibration, and Validation Supersite). The reference data provided by the center for satellite measurements is crucial to ensure that the information produced by satellites is verified and thus usable.

- The center will significantly enhance the impact of Finland's space activities internationally and creates growth opportunities for Finnish space activities and industry while improving the level of scientific knowledge, says Petteri Taalas, Director General of the Finnish Meteorological Institute. 

Further Information:

Jarkko Koskinen, Chairman of ESA PB-EO, Professor, Deputy Director General, Finnish Geospatial Research  Institute, National Land Survey of Finland, tel. +358 50 337 2902, firstname.lastname@nls.fi

Petteri Taalas, Director General, Finnish Meteorological Institute, tel. +358 50 341 3460, petteri.taalas@fmi.fi

Mirva Kipinoinen, Director of Communications, National Land Survey of Finland, +358 50 471 9367, firstname.lastname@nls.fi

ESA Media Relations

Email: media@esa.int

About the European Space Agency

The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space.

ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.

ESA has 23 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia are Associate Members.

ESA has established formal cooperation with other four Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.

By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions.

Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int