Following a presentation by InSpace Missions, a company specialising in the development of in-orbit satellite reconfiguration, at the Farnborough International Airshow;

Madeline Wild, Associate Defense Analyst, at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers her view:

“InSpace Missions’ strategic decision to focus on developing and launching dual use, low-cost satellites that can be reconfigured and serviced in-orbit will revolutionise the management of satellite constellations and address ongoing issues with technological obsolescence in space. The number of zombie satellites is continually growing, as units fall out of service but are either not removed or can’t be removed from space. Developing a satellite that is made to be upgraded in-orbit helps stop the need for new satellites to constantly be launched to keep up with technological developments. This means that operators in both the civil and military domains should face lower costs.

“By being able to upload the latest software and applications to the satellites while in-orbit should also offer great protection against anti-satellite weaponry. The most up-to-date cyber defenses can be installed without the need for multiple launches. While the cost of launching satellites is dropping rapidly, the cost to upload new software remotely will always be lower. Moreover, the ability to apply incremental changes should appeal to military procurement agencies, many of which are focusing on ways to ensure the latest technology can reach the frontlines quickly.

“The company was acquired by BAE Systems in late 2021 to develop its presence in the space domain. As many Armed Forces look to increase their cross-domain functionality and integrate operations across service branches, there will be a growing reliance on space systems and satellites in particular. This will make the acquisition of InSpace Missions a potentially lucrative deal for BAE Systems as reliance on the satellite technology increases.”