Satellites are important tools for both intelligence gathering and verification. While advances in optical, infrared, and radar technology have improved satellite resolution, further gains are subject to diminishing returns and disproportionally increasing costs. That said, recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and data fusion will make it possible to combine and integrate lower-quality data from different sources to generate higher-quality information. This could be used by both state and non-state actors and could have a significant impact on government secrecy policy—for better or for worse. Following an introduction to the historical use of satellites for verification purposes, the article goes on to outline the different imagery technologies along with their respective limitations. It then sets out the potential for broader verification, while also highlighting the potentially negative strategic implications of improved satellite reconnaissance. The text concludes with a number of general recommendations, as well as a specific recommendation for German space security policy.
Bibliographic record
McKee, S., & Schörnig, N. (2026). From Images to Insights: Data Integration in Satellite Surveillance. In: Göttsche, M., Jakob, U., & Schörnig, N. (Eds.). Verification in an Era of Rapid Technological Change. CNTR Monitor – Technology and Arms Control 2026. PRIF – Peace Research Institute Frankfurt.
Authors
Sarah McKee & Dr. Niklas Schörnig
