Credit: UK Ministry of DefenceThe United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence has awarded a £40 million contract to Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) to build its Juno spy satellite.
Once launched in 2027, Juno will capture daytime images of the Earth’s surface to advance the country’s space-based intelligence capabilities. According to a 4 November press release, the satellite will build on the capabilities of the country’s Tyche reconnaissance satellite, which was launched aboard a SpaceX Transporter mission in August. Tyche was also built by SSTL at a cost of £22 million.
“With Tyche in space, and Juno now on contract, UK Space Command’s ISTARI programme is making great strides, showcasing innovation and collaboration across government and industry,” said Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton.
Juno and Tyche are the first two of four projects being managed under the £127 million MINERVA programme, which is a precursor to the country’s ISTARI constellation. The other two MINERVA projects are Titania and Oberon. The primary goal of the MINERVA programme is to demonstrate the autonomous collection, processing, and dissemination of intelligence from the country’s space-based assets. The results of the MINERVA programme will be used by the UK’s Ministry of Defence to determine how best to proceed with the ISTARI constellation.
ISTARI is a £968-million programme that aims to build out a constellation of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance satellites for the country’s armed forces. The constellation and associated ground systems are expected to be operational by 2031. In addition to military observations, the constellation of satellites will also be used for civil applications like natural disaster management and climate change monitoring.
Andrew Parsonson has been reporting on space and spaceflight for over five years. He has contributed to SpaceNews and, most recently, the daily Payload newsletter. In late 2021 he launched European Spaceflight as a way to promote the continent’s excellence in space.