The UK military is preparing to launch its first dedicated Earth-imaging satellite named Tyche. This small, washing machine-sized spacecraft will be capable of capturing high-resolution images that can discern troop movements and vehicles on the battlefield. As a demonstrator satellite, Tyche is the precursor to a planned network of satellites set to launch later this decade, which will employ various sensors. Some future satellites will possess the capability to penetrate cloud cover and intercept radio transmissions. Tyche is set to launch on a SpaceX Falcon rocket from California, with liftoff scheduled for 11:20 local time (19:20 BST). After launch, the satellite will reach an altitude of approximately 500km and begin an expected operational lifespan of at least five years.
While the UK has benefited from its advanced satellite communications system, Skynet, it has primarily relied on its allies, particularly the United States, for surveillance and reconnaissance imagery from space. Although the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has previously invested in UK commercial sector projects, Tyche represents its first fully owned imaging satellite capability. Commissioned by UK Space Command and constructed by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) in Guildford, Tyche weighs 160kg and captures images in optical wavelengths, which are visible to the human eye. The satellite is designed to image areas 5km wide with a maximum resolution of 90cm, which, while not the highest possible resolution (some classified US satellites can resolve objects as small as 10cm), meets the British military’s broad requirements.
Tyche’s development was initiated by the 2021 Space Command Paper and the 2022 Space Defence Strategy, committing the former government to spend £970m over a decade on the Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTARI) program. This initiative includes several research and development projects aimed at eventually launching a sovereign constellation of military and national security satellites. These future satellites will feature technologies like radar sensors capable of observing the Earth’s surface in all weather conditions and at night—a feature that has been crucial for Ukraine in monitoring Russian forces.
Maj Gen Paul Tedman, commander of UK Space Command, described Tyche as “the start of a journey” towards becoming a significant space power by 2030. “We anticipate many more satellite launches in the coming months and years. Tyche is just the beginning,” he said. SSTL, closely collaborating with UK Space Command on ISTARI, hopes to secure more defense contracts both domestically and internationally. According to Darren Jones, SSTL’s head of defense business, “There’s a global interest in space capabilities for defense purposes. This Tyche contract demonstrates the MoD’s confidence in our ability to deliver such missions, which will aid us in securing future projects with other nations.”
Tyche is based on SSTL’s Carbonite model, which can be assembled quickly and at a relatively low cost, with the Tyche contract valued at £22m. An innovative feature of Tyche is its propulsion system, which uses water for maneuvering. “We generate thrust and maintain position by converting water into superheated steam,” explained Andrew Haslehurst, the chief technology officer. “Tyche carries 10 liters of water, sufficient for five to seven years of operational life in orbit.”
Following the publication of the Defence Space Strategy, the Commons Defence Select Committee criticized the UK for being “at best, a third-rank space power,” noting that Britain is the only G8 country without a sovereign satellite imaging capability. The committee also expressed concerns about ISTARI’s future, given the MoD’s “poor track record in delivering major projects on time and within budget.” The newly elected government in July has launched a comprehensive review of UK defense requirements and spending. With other nations emphasizing the increasing importance of space in future conflicts, it appears unlikely that the UK’s latest defense assessment will significantly deviate from the previous one. Julia Balm, a research associate at the Freeman Air and Space Institute at King’s College London, commented, “Any negative developments or cutbacks in ISTARI would reflect poorly on the UK’s ability to execute long-term, large-scale projects and would undermine its commitment to becoming a space power.”
