“Space is critical to securing operational advantage and enabling multi-domain integration: It is the responsibility of my team to deliver space coherency across defense and ensure we are aligned with other Whitehall Departments,” said Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Harv Smyth, Director of Space at the MoD. “Whilst we are the single touch point for space in defense, this is a team effort, and we are delighted to be working with The Aerospace Corporation UK Ltd, whose expertise over many years spans the entire space enterprise.”
Aerospace UK will bring Aerospace’s 60 years of technical expertise and insight to help address the MoD Space Directorate’s challenges, in parallel with U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond’s Planning Guidance objective to strengthen the space capabilities of U.S. allies.
“Working with our allies directly, and through common mission partners, we strengthen our mutual ability to rapidly deliver war-winning capabilities,” said Lt. Gen. John Thompson, Space and Missile Systems Center commander. “As the United Kingdom stands up their new Space Command and embarks on their first national space strategy this year, we are excited to work alongside our longest ally to deepen these ties. Through U.K.-U.S. efforts like International Space Pitch Days and collaborative exploration of how to integrate our complementary space systems together, our mission partners help us collectively deliver coalition capabilities that will outpace the threat.”
In its March 16 Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, the U.K. established that it views space as fundamental to the delivery of military capability and to the functioning of wider society. As access to space is increasingly congested and contested, the MoD is developing space capabilities and infrastructure that will enable the U.K. to continue to operate effectively in a degraded or denied space environment. Effective strategic planning underpins the MoD’s response to the evolving space security environment.
“Space is a complex and expensive environment, and we understand the dedication and collaboration required to achieve success,” said Gina Galasso, Aerospace U.K.’s managing director. “We are excited to be working with AVM Smyth and his team to help them develop and deliver space capabilities necessary for their protect-and-defend mission.”
About The Aerospace Corporation UK Ltd
The Aerospace Corporation UK Ltd is the wholly owned U.K. subsidiary of The Aerospace Corporation. Headquartered in Salisbury, Wiltshire, this small-to-medium enterprise is focused on supporting a number of different government organizations in the U.K. space economy. The company has been established to support U.K. efforts in a variety of space areas, including launch, space situational awareness, systems acquisition, and program management. For more information, visit www.aerospace.org/uk.
About The Aerospace Corporation
The Aerospace Corporation is a national nonprofit corporation that operates a federally funded research and development center and has more than 4,000 employees. With major locations in El Segundo, California; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and the Washington, D.C., region, as well as a wholly owned subsidiary in the United Kingdom, Aerospace addresses complex problems across the space enterprise and other areas of national and international significance through agility, innovation, and objective technical leadership. For more information, visit www.aerospace.org. Follow us on Twitter: @AerospaceCorp.