New UK Satellite for Monitoring Climate Crisis & Natural Disasters

The UK Space Agency is giving £3 million to support the new pathfinder satellite. This satellite is part of the €80 million (£70 million) Atlantic Constellation project, which includes Spain and Portugal.

Open Cosmos, located at the Harwell campus in Oxfordshire, is also helping with funding.

The goal of the project is to create a set of satellites that will keep an eye on Earth. The hope is that these satellites will give important and frequently updated information. This information will be useful in finding, monitoring, and lessening the risk of natural disasters.

Andrew Griffith, a minister in the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology, emphasised the crucial role of Earth observation in addressing global challenges such as climate change and disaster relief.

He highlighted the importance of quickly obtaining necessary data to support key UK industries like agriculture and energy.

Collaborating with Open Cosmos on a new satellite and supporting partners in the Atlantic, namely Spain and Portugal, allows the UK to leverage space technology for common objectives.

Additionally, this collaboration creates opportunities for developing new skills and jobs to contribute to the future growth of the UK economy.

The announcement coincides with the opening day of the UK Space Conference in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Just four weeks earlier, Tim Peake, the most recent British astronaut to venture into space, revealed his plan to come out of retirement to lead the UK’s inaugural astronaut mission.

Peake, aged 51, had previously flown to the International Space Station as a European Space Agency astronaut in 2015.

The upcoming mission involves sending four British astronauts into space, facilitated through a deal between the UK Space Agency and Axiom Space, an American company organising visits to the International Space Station.

The estimated cost of the project is £200 million, with no contribution from the British taxpayer.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today program, Peake expressed his excitement about the development, highlighting the significant advancements in the space sector.

He acknowledged the challenges ahead, including securing the financial model, selecting and training the crew, obtaining approval from NASA, and identifying a slot for the mission to dock with International Space Station.