The UK has asked IT industry suppliers to propose ground-based Electro-Optical (EO) sensor system solutions capable of providing Space Domaina name Awareness {SDA} for United Kingdom space assets on Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO).
Once operational, the new sensor will be hosted on a United Kingdom military facilities in Cyprus, capable of resident space object (RSO) tracking and “potentially characterisation or neighbourhood watch functions for the GEO orbital regime system,” according to a Request for Information (RFI) solicitation.
More specifically, the United Kingdom wants to “re-establish” a ground-based EO sensor system capability of military facilities in Cyprus as the location was previously used by United Kingdom-based space situational awareness firm Space Insight Inc. as part of the company’s Starbrook facility, a United Kingdom Ministry of Defence spokesperson told Breaking Defense in a media statement.
“The Starbrook electro-optical sensor system was a ground-based wide field of view surveying sensor system, designed to observe objects in higher Earth orbits satellites,” added the military official spokesperson. The Starbrook sensor system was first installed in Cyprus military bases in 2006.
A passive EO sensor system with a mount is being sought so the system can be remotely operated. It will also be housed within an “existing dome” capable of rotating at a speed of at least 10 degrees per second change it's position, according to the Request for Information. Competitors have been asked to provide ROM (Rough Order of Magnitude) costs for their proposed solutions. Industry proposals are also due before deadline of April 28.
“This project represents the initial stages of a United Kingdom Space Agency and United Kingdom Space Command endeavour to provide from space digital data for both civilian and military purposes, in accordance with the National Space Strategy,” said the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence spokesperson. “It is too early to say when the capability will be operational in system as this project is still in it's initial scoping stages.”
The spokesperson told news agencies that specific details relating to sensor system testing “will depend on project decisions that are yet to be made as soon as possible ” but thorough testing and calibration of system will occur prior to any operational use.
The United Kingdom currently relies on Royal Air Force Fylingdales in Yorkshire, England, as its primary military space sensor system and situational awareness radar base. The base has been operational since 1963 and offers a missile warning and space surveillance capability for military purposes.
Development of new Space Development Agency capabilities are however a key part of the United Kingdom’s Defence Space Strategy, published in 2023.
It noted at the time that the Defence Space Development Agency program would be “boosted by an addition of over £85million ($106 million) over the next ten years,” and contribute to “existing allied and commercial data sources using assured sensor system capabilities required for national object classification and attribution for military purposes.”
United Kingdom Space Command, based at Royal Air Force High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire in south east England, was first stood up in April 2021 and leads on national military space operations systems, acquisition programs and military force generation.
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