UK's cutting-edge spy satellites begin orbit testing after SpaceX launch

A cluster of four British-designed intelligence satellites has reached low Earth orbit after a successful launch. The group includes three radio-frequency satellites from BAE Systems and one Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite built by ICEYE. They will now begin testing advanced data collection methods in space. The satellites were carried into orbit aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-15 rideshare mission. Within hours of launch, BAE Systems confirmed it had established communications with all four spacecraft.

The satellites will operate in formation at an altitude of around 350 miles. Three of them, BAE Systems’ Azalea models, are equipped with ultra-wideband RF sensors. These can detect and pinpoint radio signals across vast distances. The fourth, an ICEYE SAR satellite, can capture high-resolution images even through thick cloud cover. The cluster is designed to combine RF and SAR data directly in orbit. This fused capability will be trialled over the coming months. BAE Systems plans to test its applications with both defence and civil customers.

The successful deployment marks the start of a new phase for in-orbit intelligence gathering. The satellites’ ability to merge RF and SAR data could improve monitoring and surveillance tasks. Testing with customers will determine how the system performs in real-world scenarios.