Footage shows the launch of the first satellite belonging to UK Space Command, which was launched onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9.

This is far from Britain’s first satellite but is the first operated by the new Space Command.

On Friday, August 16 at 11:56 a.m. PT, Falcon 9 launched Transporter-11, SpaceX’s 11th dedicated smallsat rideshare program mission, from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

A UK satellite to support military operations successfully launched into space. Named Tyche, the satellite is UK Space Command’s first satellite, which can capture daytime images and videos of the Earth’s surface.

The satellite will strengthen the UK’s Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. As the Ukraine conflict has shown, space use is crucial to military operations. Tyche is the first satellite to be launched under the Ministry of Defence’s space-based ISR programme, which will deliver a constellation of satellites and supporting ground systems by 2031.

These satellites will not only support military operations but also contribute to other government tasks, including natural disaster monitoring, the development of mapping information, environmental monitoring and tracking the impact of climate change around the world.

Designed and built in the UK through a £22 million contract awarded by Defence Equipment & Support to Surrey Satellites Technology Limited (SSTL), Tyche is the latest satellite to be fully owned by the Ministry of Defence.

SSTL received the first signals from Tyche – which is comparable in size to a washing machine – a few hours after lift-off, confirming the successful launch.

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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23 COMMENTS

  5. It’s hard to believe that for £22 million we can get a satellite with 90cm resolution on orbit for 5 years. We should expand ISTARI and move up to a constellation of 5 Tyche and 5 Oberon vehicles giving us daily coverage in SAR and EO of any spot on the planet daily.

    At 160kg these satellites are well inside the launchers being developed to fly from Scotland and we should put money towards those launchers so that we can have a rapid ability to deploy a satellite from UK soil. That would put us in the premier league of military space powers especially if we combine this with Juno and Arrow 3 giving us a very strong anti satellite reconnaissance and hard kill capability.

    Once we have that we should then look at a constellation of infra red satellites in LO orbit based on SSTL’s hot Sat to provide missile warning and tracking. This is a capability we can probably share with European NATO and can be combined with Frances two infra red warning satellites in elliptical orbit. Such a combined system should go a long way to match US Space Force providing NATO with a back up warning system should someone try to take out the US system or should King Donald move the US out of the NATO a command .
    Given almost all of this is in place these upgrades can be done for very little cost.

    Further forward the Oberon constellation can potentially be increased providing global maritime surveillance and targeting.

    • The UK doesn’t have the funds or personnel (not to mention will) to equip its current authorized strength but, somehow, it’s going to find the funds and personnel to match what the US has in Space Command. If you think that duplicating what the US has can be done for little cost then make me an offer on this bridge in Brooklyn that’s for sale.

      • If you read what I wrote I’m taking about European NATO building an infra red missile warning and tracking satellite system based on HotSat and two small French satellites in orbit, not replicating the entire US Space Force list of assets.

        Are you actually aware of the US system and what it entails and how it’s being replaced?

        Kind of hard to have a debate if your not, you can keep the bridge.

    • An area of expansion but the assets the US have are phenomenal mate, and that is just the ones they acknowledge.
      We won’t be matching them, if ever.
      I’m just pleased these small steps are happening.

      • I’m only referring to the infrared missile warning and tracking constellation. Many of the US assets are old and expensive and being replaced by smaller cheaper more distributed systems like I’m advocating.

        • I think you might be assuming that since the US plans to move to a more distributed architecture for its satellites instead of its traditional exquisite multi billion dollar platforms that what they have flying around up there is old. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. The US treats it’s early warning satellites as a no fail mission and is critical to its nuclear deterrence. As a matter of fact the US military have all but admitted that they are aware of almost any missile launch in certain areas of the planet within seconds. And that’s not just large ballistic missiles, It is believed they are capable of detecting something as small as artillery fire. NASA FIRMS satellites can detect small brush fires burning on someone’s farm and that hints at what the military satellites are able to do. Just do an internet search for NROL launches and see how often they place new satellites in orbit. They are some really good tracking sites that catalog these on the internet.

    • No, they land on a barge floating off the coast.
      Because the rocket needs to tilt over in order to start getting the payload into an orbit, it can’t return to where it started.
      Trust me, I play Kerbal Space Program.

      • You need to stop playing games when you are working or studying, it’ll interfere with your education.
        Interesting exchanges with X (whale Island Zoo Keeper),on NL BTW. I think he likes you really. He’s yet to really insult you !!!!😎

    • It depends on how heavy the payload it’s carrying is. The booster can land at the cape for lighter loads and typically the side boosters from Falcon Heavy do this. For most payloads the core stage of falcon 9 will land on a barge. If it’s carrying a very heavy load or a higher orbit is required then the core stage is sometimes expended with no return.

  9. If our closest Ally is ‘taken down’, we in UK need to survive with our own tech, own missiles, own defence modes and own nouse….. own everything.
    Having our own space command is superb, and re-routing cheap satellite builds via our ‘to be’ space port to be controlled by our own space command will complement our troops and navy to protect us if the moment comes.
    Sure we can share with others, but we own it for when we need it

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