General Atomics

Babcock joins Space Data Association

The Space Data Association (SDA) has announced that defence company Babcock International Group has joined its membership.

Image courtesy SDA

Babcock delivers engineering, support and critical systems to defence and civil markets and is a leading provider of secure communications to the military. The Babcock led consortium of Team Aurora is responsible for managing and operating the UK Ministry of Defence’s military satellite communications system, Skynet, alongside partners SES, Intelsat and LuxGovSat.

The SDA brings satellite operators together to improve flight safety through sharing of operational data and promotion of best practices for space use. It is an international organisation that facilitates the controlled, reliable and efficient sharing of data critical to the safety and integrity of the space environment. SDA members include the world’s major satellite communications operators as well as remote sensing organisations.

Joe Chan, Chairman and Executive Director, SDA, said: “We’re delighted that Babcock is joining the SDA. We are aligned in our interests to ensure a controlled, reliable and efficient space environment, and Babcock’s move to become a member of the SDA will put us in a better position to achieve that aim.”

Neal Misell, CEO of Babcock’s Mission Systems business which operates and maintains the Skynet contract, said: “Babcock is committed to creating a safe and secure world by maintaining lines of defence and ensuring critical services and assets are readily available and future proofed. As a provider of secure communications for the UK military, maintaining a safe space environment is obviously critically important. Being a member of the SDA will help us maintain safety of the Skynet constellation of satellites and will help improve safety of the space environment for all civil and defence users.”

Related

Sigma deepens UK aerospace footprint with new £125m Rolls-Royce deal
Rolls-Royce engine
Sigma deepens UK aerospace footprint with new £125m Rolls-Royce deal
Sigma Advanced Systems has won a further £125m Rolls-Royce agreement through UK subsidiary Bromford, following a £300m deal announced in April.
UK airports set new passenger record despite Middle East disruption
Person viewing Ryanair aircraft on the tarmac from the airport terminal window, holding a mobile device and preparing for an upcoming flight, representing travel logistics and modern connectivity
UK airports set new passenger record despite Middle East disruption
CAA data shows UK airports reached a new Q2 passenger high, with Ryanair and Jet2 growth helping offset steep falls in Middle East traffic.
Aerospace

27 Aug 2026

Sustainable aviation fuel pioneer completes successful trials
Nova Pangaea factory
Sustainable aviation fuel pioneer completes successful trials
In trials at its plant in Teesside, Nova Pangaea Technologies has shown that its processing of waste biomass and residues into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) can be done at a commercial scale.
Aerospace Member News

26 Aug 2026

Cellebrite reveals ruggedised C-TEK forensics field kit
Soldiers on patrol
Cellebrite reveals ruggedised C-TEK forensics field kit
With its portable forensics field kit, Cellebrite has brought together rugged hardware and software to allow mission-critical data and intelligence to be captured and actioned in the field, enabling forward-deployed teams to quickly triage data from phones, SIM cards, drones and portable media to advance their mission advantage.
Sigma deepens UK aerospace footprint with new £125m Rolls-Royce deal
Rolls-Royce engine
Sigma deepens UK aerospace footprint with new £125m Rolls-Royce deal
Sigma Advanced Systems has won a further £125m Rolls-Royce agreement through UK subsidiary Bromford, following a £300m deal announced in April.
Teledyne selected for US Army DUTCH Award
Teledyne FLIR
Teledyne selected for US Army DUTCH Award
The contract award will enhance US thermal sensor capabilities and scaling these technologies for high-volume production to advance future defence programmes.
Defence Member News

26 Aug 2026

STFC reveals latest Ernest Rutherford Fellows
space nebula
STFC reveals latest Ernest Rutherford Fellows
Backed by an investment of £6 million, seven early-career physicists have been awarded Ernest Rutherford Fellowship’s by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), supporting research, from the search for dark matter to the physics of black holes.
Space

25 Aug 2026

Austrian ENPULSION moves to acquire UK space propulsion specialist Lift Me Off
Enpulsion space propulsion manufacturer buys UK company lift me off
Austrian ENPULSION moves to acquire UK space propulsion specialist Lift Me Off
Austrian spacecraft propulsion manufacturer ENPULSION has agreed to acquire British specialist Lift Me Off, bringing together electric and chemical propulsion capabilities in a deal that will require UK Government approval.
Member News Space

21 Aug 2026

Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone gains £300m investment as Dell establishes Scottish base
Lanarkshire’s AI Innovation Park
Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone gains £300m investment as Dell establishes Scottish base
A £202 million guarantee from the UK National Wealth Fund has attracted an investment of £300 million in Lanarkshire's AI Growth Zone, which with Dell Technologies establishing a base there too, is set to support over 3,400 skilled jobs.
Cellebrite reveals ruggedised C-TEK forensics field kit
Soldiers on patrol
Cellebrite reveals ruggedised C-TEK forensics field kit
With its portable forensics field kit, Cellebrite has brought together rugged hardware and software to allow mission-critical data and intelligence to be captured and actioned in the field, enabling forward-deployed teams to quickly triage data from phones, SIM cards, drones and portable media to advance their mission advantage.
The 2028 quantum deadline aerospace and defence suppliers can’t afford to ignore
A Typhoon FGR4 (serial ZK364) from the RAF's No 3(F) Squadron taxis to the runway at the 86th Air Base in Borcea, Romania, before launching for a 'Tango' QRA training scramble on 7 April 2026. Image: MOD Crown Copyright/AS1 Ben Webb
The 2028 quantum deadline aerospace and defence suppliers can’t afford to ignore
Despite the deadline being years away, companies in the aerospace and defence sectors are being encouraged to start their planning now to ensure compliance later
Aerospace Defence Security

26 Aug 2026

Serco to support prison infrastructure at Christchurch Men’s Prison
Rachel Leota, New Zealand​ Department of Corrections Chief Executive and Ben Tracey, Serco Asia Pacific Director Facilities Management and Public Private Partnerships
Serco to support prison infrastructure at Christchurch Men’s Prison
As the New Zealand Government looks to add much needed capacity to its prison system, it has selected Serco to provide facilities management and maintenance services to support a safe and resilient prison infrastructure at Christchurch Men’s Prison.
Member News Security

25 Aug 2026