A satellite we procured to support UK military operations has been successfully launched into space.
Tyche is the first satellite to be fully owned by the Ministry of Defence. It was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, by SpaceX on their re-usable Falcon 9 rocket, as part of the ‘Transporter 11’ mission on 16th August.
And the first signals from Tyche – which is comparable in size to a washing machine – were received a few hours after lift-off, confirming the successful launch.
Operating in low Earth orbit over a five-year lifespan, Tyche will provide timely space-based imagery.
UK Space Commander, Major General Paul Tedman, said:
“The successful launch of Tyche has shown that UK Space Command, and its essential partners across defence and industry, can rapidly take a concept through to the delivery of a satellite capability on orbit.”
Hear from our Space Team Leader
Paul Russell, said:
“We worked closely with UK Space Command, Dstl and industry to understand how to deliver in a new, complex and critical environment.
“Seeing Tyche – the first of a new generation of UK military capabilities – delivered into orbit is an incredibly proud moment and a tribute to everyone’s commitment to this key project.”
