General Atomics

Filtronic secures record breaking SpaceX order

Sedgefield based designer and manufacturer of advanced RF and microwave solutions, Filtronic, has secured its largest ever contract - valued at £47.3 million ($62.5m) - with its long-standing customer, SpaceX, for the Starlink high-speed internet service.



Image courtesy Filtronic
 
The contract represents the first order for Filtronic’s next-generation Gallium Nitride (GaN) powered Solid State Power Amplifier (SSPA) in E-Band frequency.
 
The new E-Band GaN SSPA solution delivers a significant step up in performance, offering higher output power, improved efficiency and enhanced thermal management.
 
These advantages are critical to applications in satellite communications and aerospace and defence applications, where system reliability and performance are paramount.
 
Crucially, the product will play a vital role in supporting the Starlink constellation, underlining the transformative potential of high-frequency SSPA technology in the ground segment of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) communications.
 
The successful development of this technology is a testament to Filtronic’s technical leadership in high-frequency and high-power mmWave systems.
 
Filtronic’s engineering team successfully addressed the complex challenges of advanced packaging, thermal management and high-frequency integration, enabling the delivery of a GaN E-Band SSPA solution that redefines performance expectations.
 
Filtronic’s SSPA products establish a new industry benchmark for size, weight, power and cost (SWaP-C) at mmWave frequencies.
 
“Securing this record contract with SpaceX marks a significant milestone for Filtronic,” said Nat Edington, Chief Executive Officer of Filtronic. “It validates the strength of our engineering capability and demonstrates the transformative value of GaN E-Band SSPA technology.
 
“This achievement would not have been possible without the expertise and dedication of both the Filtronic and SpaceX teams, and we are proud to play a role in advancing connectivity for the Starlink constellation and the wider LEO ecosystem.”
 
This contract not only reflects Filtronic’s ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions today but also forms part of a multiyear growth strategy, positioning our GaN SSPA at the core of future developments across satellite communications, aerospac and defence.
 
It underscores Filtronic’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of RF innovation and highlights the company’s strategic focus on delivering next-generation solutions for the most demanding global communications and connectivity applications.

Related

Enhanced aviation programme to help college students into airport careers
TSCG and MAG aviation course launch 08.10.2026
Enhanced aviation programme to help college students into airport careers
Manchester Airports Group (MAG) is building on its partnership with Trafford & Stockport College to bring industry insights into the classroom and enable young people to get hands-on experience relevant to today's aviation sector.
Aerospace

13 Oct 2026

3 innovative technologies selected for trial at Glasgow Airport
Glasgow Airport with Edelweiss aircraft
3 innovative technologies selected for trial at Glasgow Airport
The companies selected are part of an initiative supporting the development and adoption of new technologies across the UK’s aviation sector.
Aerospace

13 Oct 2026

UK blames Iran’s Revolutionary Guards for RAF Fairford ‘bomb plot’
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress USAF at RAF Fairford
UK blames Iran’s Revolutionary Guards for RAF Fairford ‘bomb plot’
UK government accuses Iran's Revolutionary Guards of directing a suspected plot targeting RAF Fairford, following seven arrests.
Aerospace Defence Security

13 Oct 2026

MI5 warns UK defence businesses to strengthen security
Sir Ken McCallum, MI5 chief giving annual threat update at Thames House
MI5 warns UK defence businesses to strengthen security
Defence suppliers and critical infrastructure operators must strengthen protection against sabotage, cyber attacks and drone threats, MI5 chief Sir Ken McCallum has warned.
Defence Security

13 Oct 2026

UK firm MARSS wins £370m Kuwait counter-drone contract, creating 100 jobs
MARSS signs £370 million contract for nationwide counter-drone defence of Kuwait
UK firm MARSS wins £370m Kuwait counter-drone contract, creating 100 jobs
MARSS will deploy a nationwide AI-enabled counter-drone network for Kuwait under a £370m contract, creating around 100 skilled jobs in the UK.
Defence

13 Oct 2026

UK blames Iran’s Revolutionary Guards for RAF Fairford ‘bomb plot’
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress USAF at RAF Fairford
UK blames Iran’s Revolutionary Guards for RAF Fairford ‘bomb plot’
UK government accuses Iran's Revolutionary Guards of directing a suspected plot targeting RAF Fairford, following seven arrests.
Aerospace Defence Security

13 Oct 2026

UK and Germany back SaxaVord in new European space launch deal
SaxaVord Spaceport, Shetland
UK and Germany back SaxaVord in new European space launch deal
The UK and Germany have agreed to deepen space launch cooperation, with Scotland's SaxaVord Spaceport securing European access to orbit.
Aerospace Defence Space

9 Oct 2026

Excelerate Technology to build UK CNI robotic security solution
Satellite in Earth orbit
Excelerate Technology to build UK CNI robotic security solution
In a project co-funded by the European Space Agency Business Applications and Space Solutions (ESA BASS) and supported by the UK Space Agency, Excelerate Technology will build and demonstrate how space-enabled assets can provide innovative safety and security solutions, including protection of Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) at a site in the UK.
World Space Week: How British technology will help ESA return to the Moon
ESA Argonaut
World Space Week: How British technology will help ESA return to the Moon
As Europe prepares to return to the Moon, British-developed LEIA LiDAR technology will help ESA's Argonaut lander autonomously identify safe touchdown zones on the lunar surface.
Space

5 Oct 2026

MI5 warns UK defence businesses to strengthen security
Sir Ken McCallum, MI5 chief giving annual threat update at Thames House
MI5 warns UK defence businesses to strengthen security
Defence suppliers and critical infrastructure operators must strengthen protection against sabotage, cyber attacks and drone threats, MI5 chief Sir Ken McCallum has warned.
Defence Security

13 Oct 2026

Two in five UK workers lack training on AI-powered cyber threats
Cyber security being done by a man on a computer
Two in five UK workers lack training on AI-powered cyber threats
Adding AI to the already complex business of cyber security has the potential to make attacks more sophisticated and harder to spot.
Security

13 Oct 2026

UK blames Iran’s Revolutionary Guards for RAF Fairford ‘bomb plot’
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress USAF at RAF Fairford
UK blames Iran’s Revolutionary Guards for RAF Fairford ‘bomb plot’
UK government accuses Iran's Revolutionary Guards of directing a suspected plot targeting RAF Fairford, following seven arrests.
Aerospace Defence Security

13 Oct 2026