UK Space Command

Making space safe, secure and sustainable for all generations.

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Making space safe, secure and sustainable for all generations.

Daily lives around the world rely on satellites and systems in space, and they also underpin military operations across the sea, land, air, and cyberspace.

Space is a congested and competitive domain. Hazards in space range from space weather to space debris. The space domain also includes a growing range of threats, including nefarious activity from hostile and irresponsible actors seeking to maximise their advantage in the space domain.

UK Space Command works with allies and partners around the world to make space safe, secure, and sustainable for all generations.

UK Space Command

UK Space Command is a joint command based at RAF High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire. It is staffed by personnel from the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force, alongside civil servants and contractors. UK Space Command’s mission is to protect and defend UK and allied interests in, from, and to space.

UK Space Operations Centre

The UK Space Operations Centre, based at RAF High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, monitors the space domain 24/7, seeking to protect, defend, and assure access to the on-orbit assets and dependencies of the UK and its allies. The UK Space Operations Centre is also defence’s command and control unit for space, where personnel collate, analyse, and assess space information to support UK and allied military forces.

The military element of the UK Space Operations Centre is delivered by No.1 Space Operations Squadron. Military space analysts work side by side with civilian space analysts from the UK Space Agency to monitor the safety of UK satellites and track orbital events.

Protecting the UK's interest in space

Disruption to the UK’s use of space, or the use of space by the UK’s allies, could significantly affect civilian, commercial, and defence activity.

UK Space Command personnel monitor space 24/7, 365 days a year, to protect the UK’s interests in space.

THE DEFENCE LEAD FOR SPACE OPERATIONS, SPACE WORKFORCE AND SPACE CAPABILITY

UK Space Command brings together three functions under a single military commander, Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey.

SPACE OPERATIONS

Command the UK’s defence space capabilities to monitor the space domain, enable global military operations, and protect and defend allied interests in space.

SPACE WORKFORCE

Harness talent by training a growing cadre of Defence space professionals, who will demonstrate excellence, respect, and trust.

SPACE CAPABILITY

Collaborate with industry, allies, and partners to build a competitive edge in space capability, adopting new technology to achieve strategic advantage.

RAF Fylingdales

 

RAF Fylingdales in North Yorkshire, is the UK’s primary military space sensor. It provides a 24/7 missile warning and space surveillance capability for the UK and its allies. It’s the only 360° radar within the US-led space surveillance network. Its radar can detect objects the size of a drink up to 3,000 miles into space.

RAF Fylingdales’ operational activity is delivered by No.2 Space Warning Squadron. Since its foundation in 1963, RAF Fylingdales has been enabled by a whole force team of military and civilian personnel. Over 300 people work at RAF Fylingdales, including military personnel, civilian staff and contractors, Ministry of Defence Police, and fire service.

 

The commander of UK Space Command is Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey

Paul Godfrey joined the RAF in 1991 and has been a fighter pilot most of his career. A former Station Commander at RAF Lossiemouth, most recently he was responsible for the planning and employment of coalition air and space power across the Middle East within the US Air Force Combined Air and Space Operations Centre.

International cooperation is critical in the space domain.

No one nation can do it alone. 

UK Space Command continues the UK’s commitment to the Combined Space Operations initiative with Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, and the US, to ensure a safe, secure and stable space domain.

UK Space Command also controls the UK’s participation in the US-led space coalition under Operation Olympic Defender, a multinational coalition formed to deter hostile actors in space and reduce the spread of debris in orbit. It also supports the growth of the NATO space enterprise.

Be part of UK Space Command

We are constantly recruiting, training, and developing individuals to work in the space domain.

Air and Space Operations Specialist (Flight Operations)
Air Operations (Systems) Officer
Cyberspace Communication Specialist
Engineering Officer (Communications Electronics)
Intelligence Officer
Intelligence Analyst

UK Space Command is a joint command with personnel from across the UK Armed Forces. If you are interested in careers in the space domain with the Royal Navy or the British Army, please visit Royal Navy jobs or British Army jobs.