The U.K. Space Command is developing sensors to detect lasers that adversaries may use to disrupt satellite operations and intercept communications supporting the nation’s economy and security. About $672,000 has been allocated for the project, the first investment under the U.K. Space Agency’s Unlocking Space for Government program, London announced Friday.
The initiative aligns with the Strategic Defence Review, which elevated space to a central warfighting domain and identified defense investment as a key driver of the government’s Plan for Change.
The British aerospace and defense industries, employing about 440,000 people nationwide, contributed over $56 billion to the U.K. economy in 2024, a 64 percent increase over the past decade.
Maj. Gen. Paul Tedman, commander of U.K. Space Command, said the Strategic Defence Review underscored the growing need for innovative technologies to counter adversary space threats.
“In this new era of threats, U.K. Space Command is competing against a growing arsenal of adversary counterspace systems and requires new and innovative edge technology to protect and defend our satellites,” Tedman said. “In less than six months after publishing the SDR, we are investing new money into this novel technology to accelerate our space program.”