A computer-generated image of a Skynet 5D satellite in orbit. Photo: Ministry of Defence
A computer-generated image of a Skynet 5D satellite in orbit. Photo: Ministry of Defence
A computer-generated image of a Skynet 5D satellite in orbit. Photo: Ministry of Defence
A computer-generated image of a Skynet 5D satellite in orbit. Photo: Ministry of Defence

UK space chief: Britain's spy satellites 'not safe' from attack


Thomas Harding
  • English
  • Arabic

Britain’s military Skynet satellite system is “not safe” from attacks by hostile states, the head of UK Space Command has admitted.

Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey warned the system, which provides sensitive communications for British forces around the world, was vulnerable to attack in space from Russia and China.

Civilian satellites could also be legitimate military targets, The National has been told.

AVM Godfrey was asked about lessons learnt from the Ukraine war during a panel discussion at the UK Space Conference in Belfast.

He referred to two incidents in which satellites had proved defenceless against attack. In November 2021, a Russian missile destroyed a 40-year-old intelligence satellite called Kosmos 1408. The resulting debris field threatened to collide with the International Space Station, forcing the crew to take shelter in escape capsules.

A few months later the Shijian-21 satellite “grabbed” another defunct Chinese navigation satellite and towed it to a high-orbit graveyard 36,000km above Earth.

The incidents demonstrated that Britain’s own highly sensitive military satellites had little defence against potential aggressors, said AVM Godfrey.

Skynet, operated by Airbus on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, provides encrypted voice and data communication covering almost the entire globe.

Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey says the British military relies on six Skynet satellites for global communications. Photo: Ministry of Defence
Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey says the British military relies on six Skynet satellites for global communications. Photo: Ministry of Defence

“Moving a defunct satellite into a graveyard orbit is great for debris clean-up but not so great if it's used for other purposes,” he said. “We in the UK have got six Skynet satellites that we rely on from a military perspective, in order to provide global communications, that are not as safe nor as assured as we previously thought.”

He said the way Britain and its allies would bring “resilience” in space was the same as “you would do in any other domain, by providing targeting problems for potential adversaries”.

With their effectiveness proved beyond doubt in Ukraine, civilian satellites had now become legitimate targets in warfare, said Major Jeremy Grunert, a lawyer in the US Air Force.

Commercial satellite companies such as Maxar Technologies had provided key battlefield information, including imagery of the 40km convoy of Russian armoured vehicles stranded outside Kyiv in the first weeks of the war in Ukraine.

It also documented, via satellite, alleged Russia atrocities in Bucha and Mariupol.

Elon Musk’s 5,000 Starlink satellites in low-Earth orbit have also been a vital tool for Ukraine’s drone warfare.

A Skynet military telecoms satellite exhibited at the Paris Air Show. Reuters
A Skynet military telecoms satellite exhibited at the Paris Air Show. Reuters

“The Ukraine war has demonstrated in a very public way the manner in which commercial satellites could be military targets,” Maj Grunert said in response to The National’s question.

Under the laws of armed conflict an “otherwise civilian target could perhaps be targeted, if it was providing military benefits”.

He gave the examples of bridges and railheads being heavily bombed by the Allies in France just before the D-Day invasion in Normandy in 1994 “because of the military benefits that those provided to the Germans”.

“It's the same thing in outer space and certainly the way in which civilian systems like Starlink have been used for drone targeting.”

He suggested Starlink would "arguably make a potential military target under the laws of war”.

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VEZEETA PROFILE

Date started: 2012

Founder: Amir Barsoum

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: HealthTech / MedTech

Size: 300 employees

Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)

Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC

The team

Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory 
Videographer: Jear Valasquez 
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory 
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat 
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova 
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi 

 
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Match info

Wolves 0

Arsenal 2 (Saka 43', Lacazette 85')

Man of the match: Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal)

Recycle Reuse Repurpose

New central waste facility on site at expo Dubai South area to  handle estimated 173 tonne of waste generated daily by millions of visitors

Recyclables such as plastic, paper, glass will be collected from bins on the expo site and taken to the new expo Central Waste Facility on site

Organic waste will be processed at the new onsite Central Waste Facility, treated and converted into compost to be re-used to green the expo area

Of 173 tonnes of waste daily, an estimated 39 per cent will be recyclables, 48 per cent  organic waste  and 13 per cent  general waste.

About 147 tonnes will be recycled and converted to new products at another existing facility in Ras Al Khor

Recycling at Ras Al Khor unit:

Plastic items to be converted to plastic bags and recycled

Paper pulp moulded products such as cup carriers, egg trays, seed pots, and food packaging trays

Glass waste into bowls, lights, candle holders, serving trays and coasters

Aim is for 85 per cent of waste from the site to be diverted from landfill 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

MATCH INFO

Champions League last 16, first leg

Tottenham v RB Leipzig, Wednesday, midnight (UAE)

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Director: Alfonso Cuaron 

Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville 

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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.

The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.

These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.

“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.

“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.

“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.

“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”

Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.

There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.

“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.

“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.

“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”

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Director: Jared Hess

Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa

Rating: 3/5

Two products to make at home

Toilet cleaner

1 cup baking soda 

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10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice) 

Method:

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100ml water 

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While you're here
Brief scores:

Pakistan (1st innings) 181: Babar 71; Olivier 6-37

South Africa (1st innings) 223: Bavuma 53; Amir 4-62

Pakistan (2nd innings) 190: Masood 65, Imam 57; Olivier 5-59

Joker: Folie a Deux

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance

Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.

Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.

The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.

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Updated: November 23, 2023, 2:12 PM`