General Atomics

QinetiQ orders acquisition systems from Celestia STS

Celestia STS (C-STS) has received an order from QinetiQ Ltd for two specially designed acquisition systems to provide test, trials, training and evaluation services for the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) under the Long Term Partnering Agreement (LTPA).



Image courtesy Celestia STS

The LPTA is a 25-year contract between QinetiQ and the MoD for the provision of critical skills and facilities to generate and assure national defence capabilities through tests, trials, training and evaluation services.

QinetiQ Ltd provides Test & Evaluation services for the delivery of advanced defence capability, whilst C-STS are specialists in providing solutions in the domains of satellite simulation, testing, communication and data processing and have leveraged their extensive track record in satellite testing and operations working closely with QinetiQ’s experts to specify the required solution.
 
“We are very proud to have received an order from QinetiQ and for them to have selected C-STS to design and build their new acquisition systems,” said David Stam, Business Development Manager at Celestia STS. “They are based on our Multi-Purpose Interface Platform (MPIP), a modular, scalable electrical ground support equipment (EGSE) designed to enable spacecraft equipment builders and integrators to test and simulate spacecraft electrical and data interfaces in a fast, flexible and cost-efficient manner.

“MPIP has been successfully deployed in space missions including Galileo Second Generation, CRISTAL and ROSE-L and now it has been specially configured to support this bespoke acquisition system. We are looking forward to collaborating with QinetiQ to put it to the test.”

Celestia STS has also become JOSCAR registered as a prime contractor in the defence, security and aerospace sectors.

Related

Farnborough day two deals deliver £2.6bn for UK industry
Farnborough international airshow 2026 day 2 deal value
Farnborough day two deals deliver £2.6bn for UK industry
A further £16.4bn of deals were announced during the second day of Farnborough International Airshow 2026, including firm orders expected to generate £2.6bn for the UK aerospace industry.
HAKI Safety appoints Marc Green as Sales Director for Semmco Group and Newbow Aerospace
Marc Green
HAKI Safety appoints Marc Green as Sales Director for Semmco Group and Newbow Aerospace
The acquisition of Newbow Aerospace and its aviation ground support equipment, tooling and instrumentation added to HAKI Safety's solutions for aviation workplaces, while complementing the Group's aircraft maintenance platforms under the Semmco brand.
Aerospace Member News

21 Jul 2026

Airbus Wing of Tomorrow enters 3-year flight testing for next-generation aircraft
Airbus Wing of Tomorrow
Airbus Wing of Tomorrow enters 3-year flight testing for next-generation aircraft
Airbus is launching a 3-year flight testing campaign of its UK-built Wing of Tomorrow, advancing more efficient next-generation single-aisle aircraft.
Aerospace Most Read

21 Jul 2026

Farnborough day two deals deliver £2.6bn for UK industry
Farnborough international airshow 2026 day 2 deal value
Farnborough day two deals deliver £2.6bn for UK industry
A further £16.4bn of deals were announced during the second day of Farnborough International Airshow 2026, including firm orders expected to generate £2.6bn for the UK aerospace industry.
GKN Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney to explore additive manufacturing for F135 engine
GKN Material Solutions
GKN Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney to explore additive manufacturing for F135 engine
RTX’s Pratt & Whitney and GKN Aerospace have signed a Technology Development Agreement to jointly explore the use of additive manufacturing for large structural components for the F135 engine, which powers the F‑35 Lightning II.
Defence Member News

21 Jul 2026

Raytheon unveils Red Kite sovereign precision weapon for the RAF
Raytheon Red Kite
Raytheon unveils Red Kite sovereign precision weapon for the RAF
Why Raytheon has unveiled a soverign British version of its Small Diameter Bomb to meet the requirements of the Royal Air Force.
Defence Most Read

21 Jul 2026

Farnborough day two deals deliver £2.6bn for UK industry
Farnborough international airshow 2026 day 2 deal value
Farnborough day two deals deliver £2.6bn for UK industry
A further £16.4bn of deals were announced during the second day of Farnborough International Airshow 2026, including firm orders expected to generate £2.6bn for the UK aerospace industry.
“We will do it together”: Prime Minister Andy Burnham delivers message to Farnborough International Airshow attendees
Andy-Burnham-Portrait
“We will do it together”: Prime Minister Andy Burnham delivers message to Farnborough International Airshow attendees
Burnham was appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 20 July, day one of the world’s largest international airshow
UK invests in homegrown space tech to boost national resilience
Satellite in orbit by uk space agency
UK invests in homegrown space tech to boost national resilience
Unveiled at the Farnborough International Airshow, the funding will support satellite communications, space security and emerging technologies as the UK seeks to strengthen its resilience and reduce reliance on overseas capabilities.
Security Space

21 Jul 2026

UK invests in homegrown space tech to boost national resilience
Satellite in orbit by uk space agency
UK invests in homegrown space tech to boost national resilience
Unveiled at the Farnborough International Airshow, the funding will support satellite communications, space security and emerging technologies as the UK seeks to strengthen its resilience and reduce reliance on overseas capabilities.
Security Space

21 Jul 2026

NPAS orders two more Airbus H135s as fleet renewal grows to nine
NPAS orders two more H135s
NPAS orders two more Airbus H135s as fleet renewal grows to nine
The aircraft will be customised at Airbus Helicopters’ Oxford facility and equipped with new Helionix avionics before entering police service.
Security

20 Jul 2026

Critical UK sectors targeted by Russian cyber actors
A hacker at a computer as government urges organisations to improve cyber security
Critical UK sectors targeted by Russian cyber actors
A new advisory has been issued by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and international partner agencies, urging the UK and its allies to defend against Russian state cyber actors’ global exploitation of poorly configured routers, as the UK sanctions Russian state and criminal networks for cyber and hybrid operations and calls out the FSB for a reckless attack on Poland’s energy grid.
Security

17 Jul 2026