UK to develop new system to protect military satellites

March 7, 2025
| No Comments
  ASATs, Satellites, Surveillance, UK
 

By Tom Dunlop,
Published by UK Defence Journal, 7 March 2025

A new UK-made space monitoring system will help protect military satellites and strengthen space domain awareness, following a £65 million contract awarded to CGI UK, according to a press release from the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The system, named Borealis, will provide enhanced command, control, and data processing capabilities, allowing the UK military and the UK Space Agency to better monitor and safeguard satellites from potential threats. The five-year contract will also support around 100 highly skilled jobs in Leatherhead, Reading, and Bristol, contributing to the UK’s growing space sector.

Borealis will act as a centralised software system for the National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC), which is responsible for the UK’s space surveillance and protection capabilities. The technology will compile and process data from multiple sources, allowing military commanders to make quicker and more informed decisions on space security matters.

Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Maria Eagle MP, highlighted the strategic importance of the system:
“This new deal delivers for our national security by enhancing protection for our satellite technology that millions rely on, while boosting jobs and growth at home. This Government continues to work swiftly to develop the new Defence Industrial Strategy. This announcement will support hundreds of highly skilled jobs, unlocking defence as an engine for growth and driving forward this government’s Plan for Change.”

Borealis is expected to improve the UK’s ability to track and analyse activity in orbit, ensuring better protection of national space assets. Key benefits of the system include:

  • Space Domain Awareness: Improved ability to monitor space weather, satellites, and debris, ensuring a clearer understanding of orbital activities.
  • Protection of UK Space Assets: A bespoke system compiling data on UK satellites, helping UK Space Command defend against potential threats.
  • Integrated Command and Control (C2) System: A secure and interoperable system providing decision-quality information across different security levels.

The MoD has stressed the increasingly contested nature of space, with both hostile activities by adversaries and congestion from commercial and governmental satellites making space operations more complex.

Major General Paul Tedman, Commander of UK Space Command, stated:

“The use of space is crucial for our economy, prosperity, security, and defence, but assured access to space is becoming increasingly contested by adversaries and congested by users and debris. Therefore, it is imperative that we know what is happening in space. Borealis is an innovative system that draws together multiple inputs to enhance the UK government’s understanding of the wide-ranging activity on orbit, allowing the UK to protect not just our own space assets, but those of our allies and partners as well.”

Neil Timms, Senior Vice President of Space, Defence & Intelligence UK & Australia at CGI, said:

“We’re proud to support UK Space Command and the UK Space Agency through delivery of Borealis. We believe this is a strategic step towards establishing a more holistic approach to the UK’s national space data architecture, with Borealis and the National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC) at its heart.”

See: Original Article