Satellites that power everything from mobile phones and weather forecasts to satnavs and banking services are increasingly under threat from floating debris in space, ministers have warned
Satellites that power everything from mobile phones and weather forecasts to satnavs and banking services are increasingly under threat from catastrophic damaged caused by floating debris in space, ministers have warned.
The Government has today vowed to back new technology to better spot threats in space and protect the satellites. As part of its new UK Space Strategy, ministers have pledged more than £274million to support “space domain awareness” to study and monitor objects like satellites, rockets and debris orbiting our planet.
Millions of tiny fragments of debris can cause catastrophic damage when travelling at tens of thousands of miles per hour.
Ministers said the latest funding will boost the UK’s ability to track satellites, rockets and dangerous debris before collisions happen. It includes £149m for the European Space Agency’s Vigil mission, which will use British expertise to provide earlier warnings of solar storms capable of disrupting satellites, communications networks and power grids.
Some £85m will go towards enhancing the capabilities of the National Space Operations Centre to boost the UK’s ability to monitor activity in space, warn of potential collisions and provide early warning of missile launches. And £40m is being invested in pioneering technologies that can inspect, repair and maintain satellites in orbit.
Overall, the UK’s Space Strategy – launched today – is backed by a record £7.8billion until 2030. Space Minister Baroness Lloyd told The Mirror: “Satellites are vital to our everyday lives – from the transport apps that get us to work to weather forecasts advising us to bring a brolly.
“But space is becoming increasingly congested, with millions of pieces of debris posing a growing threat. That’s why we’re backing British innovation to track hazards, repair damaged satellites and help clean up orbit before problems arise. It will help protect the services people rely on, support high-skilled jobs across the UK, and ensure Britain remains a global leader in making space safer and more sustainable.”
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “As space becomes a new frontier of economic and military competition, this plan will help keep Britain secure by strengthening our ability to launch satellites, detect threats and protect the services people rely on every day.
“At the same time, this plan will enable our excellent UK industry to seize the boundless opportunities of this new age in space, creating skilled jobs, driving growth and improving connectivity for all of us.”
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said: “This space strategy recognises that our national security depends on our freedom of action in space and, if necessary, the ability to protect UK and allied space assets. As threats in orbit grow more sophisticated, so must our ability to detect and respond to them, ensuring we protect the interests of the UK and allies while fuelling economic growth along the way.
“Backed by the Defence Investment Plan, we’re investing more than £3 billion to ensure our defence capabilities in space keep pace with the threats we face, supporting reindustrialisation and creating opportunities here in the UK.”