Satellite technology is a crucial element of the "Third Industrial Revolution" to the extent of which it has opened up unprecedented possibilities to create knowledge and information, to access, share and manage it within a system. This knowledge can be used by governmental organisations as well as large- or small-scale businesses to engine powerful knowledge management systems as tools for social and economic progress.

Satellites help produce knowledge and information about the state and property of land surface, objects and phenomena, their location, and their interaction. Satellites enable a rapid transfer to and sharing of such information with stakeholders. Along with the best known applications such as Google Earth, vehicle satnav, weather forecasts, and TV broadcasting, satellite technology has numerous applications in many fields of activity.

"Satellite Information and Services" refers to the process of transforming satellite data, or their function, into information or into satnav and satcom applications and making these available to end-users for use in various fields of activity (energy, transport, environment etc).

There are three main types of application satellites: communication, navigation and Earth Observation satellites. Applications can make use of one or more.