Britain launches washing machine-sized spy satellite to watch threats from space

Britain has launched a new military spy satellite into orbit as the UK steps up its ability to watch potential threats from space.

The 100kg satellite, named Titania, has been described as a new “pair of eyes” for the Armed Forces, capable of observing military activity on Earth from orbit.

Roughly the size of a washing machine, Titania blasted into space aboard a reusable SpaceX rocket from California in October.

It joins Tyche, another British military observation satellite launched two years ago, with more spacecraft set to follow as part of a growing UK surveillance network in space.

Titania was built by BAE Systems, while Tyche was made by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. They are due to be joined by Juno, also built by SSTL, and Airbus-developed Oberon.

The satellites will be operated by UK Space Command and form part of the Ministry of Defence’s wider ISTARI intelligence and surveillance programme.

Their Shakespeare-inspired names have a distinctly British flavour. Titania is the Queen of the Fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, while Oberon is her king.

But their real-world job is considerably less whimsical: giving military chiefs better information about activity on the ground and helping Britain spot potential threats earlier.

The MoD has also revealed it is testing a new network of ground-based sensors designed to keep watch on what is happening above Earth.

The project, called Inaros, will use sensors based at three locations around the world to monitor satellites and activity in orbit.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said space was now critical to everything from weather forecasts and sat-nav to financial transactions and military operations.

He said: “Having Titania now in orbit and Project Inaros stepping up how we watch over our satellites means we can see threats sooner, making the UK safer.”

The Government says more than £3 billion is being invested in UK space capabilities, including British-built satellites and monitoring technology.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth, Chief of the Air Staff, said observing Earth from space was increasingly important for both national security and military operations.

The launch comes amid growing concern about the possibility of hostile activity in orbit.

In September, Sir Harv warned that Britain’s adversaries posed an increasing threat in space and announced the creation of a new RAF unit designed to “disrupt, degrade and deny hostile activity” beyond Earth’s atmosphere.