Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), has successfully signed a deal with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to supply a new Earth Observation satellite.
The ยฃ40 million project will support around 200 skilled jobs between now and the planned delivery date of 2027, boosting the UKโs space sector and helping to grow both the UK and regional economies.
The new satellite, named Juno, will capture daytime images of the Earthโs surface, strengthening the UKโs Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. Juno joins an existing satellite also manufactured by SSTL, (named Tyche), in supporting military operations such as monitoring the activities of military adversaries. The two satellites will also contribute to other key government observation requirements, including natural disaster monitoring, the development of mapping information, environmental monitoring and tracking the impact of climate change around the world.
MOD Procurement representative Maria Eagle said, “The contract for Juno shows the the UK’s commitment to grow one of the most innovative and attractive space economies in the world, and keep our competitive edge in space science and technology.
โJuno will not only support Armed Forces personnel deployed globally, but also support highly skilled jobs, delivering on the governmentโs growth mission.โ
SSTL Managing Director Andrew Cawthorne said: “We’re incredibly proud that the Ministry of Defence has again placed its trust in SSTL to deliver the UK’s next sovereign intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance spacecraft.
โJuno will offer a step change in imaging capability over Tyche, SSTLโs demonstrator spacecraft which launched in August (2024) and is now being operated for UK Space Command. We look forward to continuing our successful relationship with UK Space Command, DE&S, and Dstl, and playing a leading role in delivering the UK Defence Space Strategy.โ
For more information on this key new satellite deal, read more on SSTL’s website.
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd started out in the late 1970s as an experiment in a small university lab in Surrey, and has since grown to employ more than 400 staff and has launched more than 70 satellites into space for 22 countries. Read our full case study looking at the history of this Surrey Success Story here.
The UK Space sector – a national and regional success story
The UK Space sector is a national success story, employing 52,000 highly skilled professionals and with labour productivity levels of 2.3 times the national average.
SSTL is a member of the UKโs largest space Cluster, Space South Central. This Cluster represents more than 170 space-related businesses and 4 academic institutions across Surrey, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The Cluster accounts for nearly 20% of the GDP generated by UK Space businesses. 2023 figures show that Surrey and Hampshire alone account for around ยฃ3 billion of national space industry turnover, with more than 12,000 people working in the sector across the region.
Space South Central aims to amplify the growth of the space sector both regionally and nationally, by developing long-term partnerships between industry, acadaemia and government.
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