The UK and US have carried out a military first in space, moving two satellites into close proximity in a highly coordinated orbital operation that shows how allies are extending defense cooperation beyond Earth.
From September 4 to 12, US Space Command maneuvered one of its satellites to check the performance of the UK’s SKYNET 5A military communications satellite.
Both satellites operate in geostationary orbit, 35,786 kilometers (22,369 miles) above Earth’s equator, where spacecraft remain fixed over one location, a critical position for communications.
The complex procedure, known as a “Rendezvous Proximity Operation,” required exacting precision, with both satellites traveling at speeds of around 11,000 kilometers (6,835 miles) per hour, or three kilometers (1.8 miles) per second.
The mission was conducted under the Multinational Force-Operation Olympic Defender, a US-led space coalition that also includes Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, and the UK.
Collective Defense
The initiative aims to strengthen collective defense capabilities in orbit as threats from rival powers in space continue to grow.
Major General Paul Tedman, Commander of the UK Space Command, said that the successful maneuver demonstrates the strength of allied cooperation in space.
“This was a first of its kind operation, delivered safely and responsibly by talented space specialists on both sides of the Atlantic,” he said. “The likeminded nations of Multinational Force-Operation Olympic Defender are now assertively safeguarding our shared interest in space, through advanced combined space operations.”
The unprecedented maneuver comes as space is increasingly contested, with Russia and China accelerating their own military space programs.
Lieutenant General Douglas Schiess, Commander of US Space Forces – Space and Combined Joint Force Component Command, said the effort underscores the credibility of combined space defense.
“This coordinated maneuver between two allies validated the interoperability that’s foundational to our collective defense,” he said. “The confirmation of the MNF’s combined military might on-orbit delivers a credible deterrent in the increasingly contested space domain.”
