The UK government has recently announced its participation in the Atlantic Constellation, joining Portugal and Spain in this global project for the development of a constellation of small satellites for ocean, earth, and climate monitoring. The UK Space Agency will provide £3 million ($3.75 million) to support the construction of a pathfinder satellite, with a contribution from Open Cosmos, a company based on the Harwell Space Campus in Oxfordshire.

This announcement was made during the UK Space Conference in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The government’s commitment to earth observation is driven by the recognition of its essential role in addressing global challenges such as climate change and disaster relief. By collaborating with Open Cosmos on the satellite project and supporting their Atlantic partners, Spain and Portugal, the UK aims to leverage space technology for shared goals while creating new job opportunities and stimulating the growth of the UK economy.

The satellite, which will be built by Open Cosmos, will have the same design and will be launched in the same orbital plane as the three satellites from Portugal that are part of the first batch of the constellation. The decision to establish a shared satellite constellation is seen as an effective means of obtaining diverse and high-revisit data for each region of interest. The UK’s participation in the Atlantic Constellation is regarded as a significant step forward in the national Earth Observation strategy.

Open Cosmos CEO Rafael Jorda Siquier expressed his pride in being contracted to deliver the first UK pathfinder satellite, emphasizing the importance of this project for the country’s EO capabilities and goals.

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