2006 - A critical year for UK Space

It seems impossible for 2006 to match the drama and excitement of 2005 - the landing of Huygens on Titan, the failed launch of Cryosat, and the successful launches of the first two Inmarsat-4 satellites, Topsat, Giove-A, DMC China and Venus Express.  But in many ways 2006 is even more critical for UK space because of the scheduled launch of two long awaited giant satellites - the first of the new generation UK military communications satellite Skynet 5 procured under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) arrangement and built by EADS Astrium based in Stevenage, and Europe's first polar orbiting operational weather satellite, EPS.

When launched towards the end of 2006, Skynet 5 will provide a much needed increase to the secure communications available to the Ministry of Defence in support of British forces across the globe.  With a number of technologically advanced payload elements, the satellite will in many ways be the world’s most advanced in terms of flexible secure communications services.  The PFI procurement approach means that MoD pays only when services begin.  The PFI prime contractor is Paradigm Secure Communications, a subsidiary of EADS, and besides EADS Astrium major subcontractors include LogicaCMG for much of the ground infrastructure (especially those parts that relate to telecommunications services) and Serco for operations.

The European Polar Satellite (EPS) is a joint development of ESA and Eumetsat.  Much of its heritage derives from the UK-led "polar platform" programme - the main spin off from the UK's short lived engagement with the International Space Station in the 1980s.  Currently slated for a 30 June 2006 launch, EPS will then take its place in the global network of polar orbiting weather satellites, which have hitherto been mainly supplied by the USA and Russia.

On a more depressing note, in 2006 the UK space community will look on as bystanders at Europe’s threefold entry into military space-based radar systems.  Germany's dual use TerraSAR-X satellite will be the first to be launched in about June.  The first of Germany's SAR-Lupe military constellation will follow later in the year, as will the first of Italy's dual use COSMO-Skymed constellation.  Once the European leader in space-based radar as demonstrated on the ERS and Envisat satellites, UK industry must take a back seat as our military relies on American data sources while continental Europe develops indigenous solutions.

Pat Norris
Chairman, RAeS Space Group

pat.norris@logica.com
26 January 2006

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