A cluster of British-designed intelligence satellites has entered low Earth orbit following a launch aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-15 rideshare mission, the company stated.
The four-satellite group, developed under BAE Systems’ self-funded Azalea programme, is intended to provide space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance for defence, security and civil users.
Three of the spacecraft are BAE Systems’ own Azalea radio-frequency satellites, each launched via Exolaunch on 28 November. The company confirmed that successful communications were established “across the first three contact opportunities between 23:05 and 04:55 GMT.” The UK-built satellites will fly in formation at roughly 350 miles in altitude, using ultra-wideband RF sensors to detect and geolocate radio signals over large distances.
They are joined by an ICEYE-produced Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite, capable of imaging through cloud cover. Together, the four spacecraft form a multisensor cluster designed to fuse RF and SAR data in orbit and deliver near real-time intelligence to users on land, at sea or in the air.
Andrea Thompson, Group Managing Director at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence, said the mission showcases the strategic importance of space for modern security. “Our Azalea mission reflects the critical role space plays in defence and national security, offering a unique vantage point of Earth which enables us to better understand and respond to today’s complex threats,” she said. “This cutting-edge technology is designed to deliver near real-time, space-based insights directly to users, empowering them to make informed decisions that help protect the UK and its allies.”
Each RF satellite, weighing approximately 150 kilograms, carries the Azalea Enhanced Software Defined Radio, which uses artificial intelligence to process RF and SAR data onboard before transmitting derived intelligence to ground users. BAE Systems said the payload can be reconfigured remotely in orbit to support future missions, echoing a mobile operating system update.
The satellites will orbit Earth every 90 minutes at around 7.6 kilometres per second. Over the coming months, BAE Systems plans to trial the fused RF–SAR capability and work with defence and civil customers to test applications such as intelligence gathering, maritime monitoring and disaster-response support.
Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said the launch strengthens domestic space capability. “The successful launch of the Azalea constellation will increase the availability of advanced information from space, to help meet the fast-growing global demand from civil, national security and defence customers,” he said. “The new satellites, which will use AI to convert raw data into actionable intelligence, represent a significant and welcome investment by BAE Systems in the UK space industry.”
You wonder why this is not part of ISTARI constellation, seems like the most deadly satellite reconnaissance system in the world.
This would be ideal for SEAD missions.
We done BAE for investing in this yourself.
I was about to mention ISTARI, Jim.
So these are not HMG, MoD owned assets?
I thought the next was Oberon or something like that after Tyche?
And you would publicise this activity why?
Self aggrandisement, they and HMG are masters at it.