LeoLabs is excited to announce that we have entered into an agreement with the UK Space Agency (UKSA). As the UKSA grows its national capability for Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST), they recognize it is vital to have the most accurate information available on Resident Space Objects (RSOs) relevant to their operational needs. By augmenting their own national capabilities with commercial data sources, they can achieve higher levels of space situational awareness (SSA) and gather valuable insights to promote a safer operating environment for their own space-based assets.
Under this contract agreement, LeoLabs is providing real-time observation data from its global radar network to the UKSA for all UK-licensed satellites in LEO (nearly 500 as of today and growing). UKSA will utilize LeoLabs data products to have accurate and continuous knowledge of the positions, velocities, and trajectories of those satellites. Due to the extensive coverage provided by LeoLabs radars, we are routinely able to provide tracking data multiple times per day, per satellite for 100% of UK-licensed satellites. UKSA is also able to task LeoLabs on an ad-hoc basis to provide information on other cataloged objects of interest, including secondary objects in high-risk conjunction events with UK-licensed satellites.
“We’re excited to partner with the UK Space Agency to advance their mission for a safer space operating environment,” said Dan Ceperley, LeoLabs CEO. “LEO satellite traffic is scaling up rapidly, and the UK has been a major force in driving important space sustainability initiatives. LeoLabs was built to enable the responsible operational use of space, and we’re proud to provide real-time observation data on hundreds of UK-licensed satellites each day to support spaceflight safety.”
Daisy Ray, Interim Head of Space Surveillance and Tracking at the UK Space Agency, said:
“As we look ahead to the first satellite launches from UK soil later this year, it is vital that we have the national capability to track objects in space to help avoid collisions with dangerous debris. Our contract with LeoLabs, which provides real-time observation data from its global radar network, supports our efforts to lead the way in making space activity safe and sustainable by protecting satellites we depend on.”
LeoLabs and the UK
In addition to this agreement with UKSA, LeoLabs is actively expanding its presence in the UK on multiple fronts. First, one of our most prominent investors is UK-based Seraphim Capital. (Fun fact: in June 2021, they established the Seraphim Space Investment Trust PLC, which includes LeoLabs in its company portfolio and is now traded on the London Stock Exchange!) Additionally, our current contract with UKSA is supported via our UK business subsidiary, LeoLabs Limited, based in London. We also engage with academic institutions in the UK such as the University of Strathclyde and University of Southampton on various research projects. Now, we are actively hiring for our first full-time role based in the UK — a Radar Operations Engineer to reside in London. We look forward to substantial business growth and contribution to the UK space sector for years to come.
Finally, we highly recommend attending the upcoming 4th Summit for Space Sustainability conference hosted by the UK Space Agency and Secure World Foundation, taking place in London on June 22–23 at the Science Museum. We’ll see you there!
Written by Matthew Shouppe, LeoLabs Senior Director of Marketing
