Radar’s orbit revolution begins

Image courtesy Plextek

As the space sector accelerates into a more commercial, crowded and contested era, 2026 is set to be the year low-SWaP radio and radar technologies move from specialist use to widespread adoption. For years, radar was seen as too bulky, power-hungry and complex for smaller satellites but that perception is rapidly becoming outdated.

SAR goes far 
The first major trend is the accelerating adoption of low-SWaP Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). As the industry looks ahead into 2026, commercial operators are expected to deploy SAR payloads weighing under 20kg while still delivering strong resolution and reliable revisit rates. However, this changes the economics of Earth Observation (EO) entirely which currently represents a $5-6 Billion market. As a result, imaging constellations will grow, driven largely by climate and environmental monitoring, defence and security, infrastructure ground movements, and disaster recovery. 

At the same time, radar’s role in safety and in-orbit operations is expanding rapidly. From Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) to In-Orbit Servicing and Manufacturing (IOSM) missions and even lunar surface navigation, radar is increasingly becoming essential. The ability to operate reliably in eclipse or with the sun in boresight is strengthening its position as a critical tool for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) operations.

What is particularly notable is how closely aligned the core technology is across these use cases: a radar designed to detect an uncooperative satellite from kilometres away is not far removed from the capability needed to guide a lander through a dust-filled lunar descent. The key differentiator is no longer the hardware itself but the application of mmWave radar for range, altitude and Doppler measurement in obscured or demanding environments.

Clear comms, new frontiers: 6G meets space in 2026
Looking ahead to communications, 2026 is also set to usher in a new phase of serious experimentation with 6G and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs) across consumer, enterprise, government and defence applications. Demand for direct-to-device (D2D) satellite connectivity is surging, although significant technical hurdles remain. Over the next year, advances in flexible air interfaces between terrestrial and space networks, interference mitigation, seamless handovers and ML-driven optimisation of early proof-of-concepts will increasingly influence the standards process as industry R&D accelerates and matures.
 
Small debris, big threat: detection takes priority
Debris detection, in particular, will become an urgent priority. While the ESA and UKSA will continue progressing large-object removal missions, the aerospace industry can no longer overlook the growing challenge posed by millions of debris fragments under 10 centimetres, orbiting at low altitudes below 1,000 kilometres. The recent incident involving the Chinese space station was a clear reminder that micro-debris is now one of the most serious operational threats in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Low-SWaP radar is among the few technologies capable of detecting these smaller fragments and improving our overall understanding of the LEO environment.

Conclusion
Across the UK, the talent gap in high-value engineering roles remains a significant constraint. Skills in phased-array antennas, FPGA firmware and signal processing, machine learning algorithms and specialist space programme management are in particularly short supply, limiting how quickly many organisations can innovate. Companies that do not invest in building these capabilities will struggle to stay competitive, while those that partner strategically to fill the gaps will be able to move faster and get ahead.

The takeaway is clear: 2026 will be a turning point. Radar is no longer a bolt-on capability, it is becoming the backbone of safe, resilient and intelligent space operations. The organisations that recognise and act on this shift now will help shape the next decade of capability in orbit.