UK Launches Satellite Protection System

Why this is here: Roughly 20% of the UK economy depends on services provided by satellites, making their protection vital for national security and daily life.

The UK government activated Borealis, new software designed to protect its satellites, at the National Space Operations Centre. The system compiles data from multiple sources to track objects in space, including potentially threatening debris and adversary satellites. This launch is about six months ahead of schedule, according to officials.

The Ministry of Defence released the first images captured by Noctis-1, a British military telescope, showing the International Space Station and SKYNET military satellites. Data from Noctis-1 feeds directly into Borealis, improving the UK’s awareness of its space assets and preventing collisions.

A £65 million, five-year contract with CGI UK supports roughly 100 jobs while developing and deploying the software. While Borealis enhances the UK’s ability to safeguard critical national assets, the system still relies on data from various sources and the evolving threat landscape requires constant adaptation. The UK continues to invest in space capabilities as part of a broader increase in defense spending.