The UK Space Command finally has its first proprietary ISR satellite in orbit after the successful launch from Vandenberg, California, on August 16.

The UK satellite, named TYCHE, was one of over 100 small satellites deployed into space by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket under the Rideshare program. TYCHE is a pathfinder satellite, weighting circa 150 kg and equipped with an advanced, compact electro-optic sensor with sub-meter resolution. It was designed and built in the UK by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd under a contract signed in 2022.

TYCHE represents Phase 1A of the MINERVA project, the prototype multi-payload constellation that the british MOD wants to use to pave the way towards a multi-ISR constellation to be known as ISTARI. TYCHE actually builds on the success of 2 previous experimental UK small satellites for imagery intelligence, CARBONITE 1 and CARBONITE 2. The latter, in particular, after its launch in 2018 proved the remarkable 1-meter resolution of its advanced sensor and delivered, for the first time, full motion colour video from space, with a 5 km swathe.

TYCHE builds upon the sensor demonstrated with CARBONITE 2 and adds another unique capability, particularly for such a small satellite: enhanced real-time connectivity. Instead of being bound to small windows of connectivity to its ground station, TYCHE will be able to disseminate its data in near real-time thanks to an innovative data relay terminal with omnidirectional antenna. Developed in the UK by TTP, this system is the first of its kind in Europe. This low SWaP-C (Size, Weight, Power, and Cost) terminal connects TYCHE in its Low Earth Orbit and Earth through geosynchronous (GEO) satellite relays, utilizing Viasat’s global L-band network. Named LEGERA™, the new terminal provides near real-time telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C) communications, by establishing a constant data link between LEO SmallSats and GEO satellites.

LEGERA™ has a compact size of 300x160x30mm, weighs only 1.35kg, consumes just 8W in receive mode with a peak consumption of 38W. It offers a data rate of up to 200kbps. This satellite-to-satellite connectivity is a key element not just for TYCHE but for the whole MINERVA/ISTARI project as the MOD intends to elaborate ISR data directly “in space” and disseminate it in real real time to the end users on earth, thanks to a new ground software infrastructure for tasking, monitoring and controlling the satellites known as BEROE.

TYCHE has a design life of just 5-years, but will play an important role in paving the way for the next elements of the ISTARI programme, for which over 900 million pounds have been earmarked over a decade. While the new Labour government conducts its Strategic Review and decides the funding profile for the next few years, rumour obviously circulate about multiple projects and it has been reported the next phase of MINERVA is at risk of having funding cut.

According to previously released information, Phase 1B is meant to deliver a small cluster of EO imagery satellites with secondary RF passive collection capability, to be known as JOVE. 3 proposals are known to have been downselected in 2022 but current status is unclear. In parallel, TITANIA, which should be the next satellite to go to space (during 2025), will demonstrate the use of a laser downlink to send great amounts of data back to earth in full security, connecting to a mobile Ground Station named PUCK.

A successive phase is expected to deliver small-satellites within a UK-US collaboration, under the name JUNO (for launch during 2025, all being well), while OBERON regards the launch of satellites equipped with radar sensor and has slipped somewhat, with launch expected in 2026 as of December 2023 official statements.

The UK considers the use of small satellites particularly attractive not just because of their low cost but because british industry is one of the main players worldwide in the smallsat arena. These small satellites could also in the future be launched directly from the nascent UK spaceports, and they could be produced and launched “responsively” according to need and to fill gap opened by enemy action.