As the new UK Space Command prepares to stand up, AVM Godfrey paid a visit to his strategically based Station high up on the North York Moors.
AVM Godfrey spent much of his visit inside the Space Operations Room meeting the teams that track objects in space, learning how the small RAF Station plays a key role in keeping space safe. He said:
“Fylingdales, alongside SKYNET satellite communication constellation, are jewels in the crown of the nation. It has contributed to the defence of the UK, and its allies, non-stop since 1963 and is one of two founding units of UK Space Command. With a heritage of almost 60 years defending the nation and providing Space Domain Awareness, it cements Fylingdales’ place, not only in the nation’s history but its future in understanding events occurring in space.”
The Solid-State Phased Array RADAR (SSPAR) at RAF Fylingdales is a joint enterprise between the United States of America and the United Kingdom. The SSPAR is the only 3-faced RADAR providing 360°coverage within the space surveillance network and is capable of detecting objects the size of a coke can 3000 miles into space.
