How Britain plans to shield its satellites from the next generation of space weapons
October 6, 2025
Britain has launched a focused effort to detect and analyse laser attacks on satellites, the first step in a broader plan to harden the nation’s space infrastructure.
An initial £500,000 has been allocated for the project, funded by the UK Space Agency under its Unlocking Space for Government programme and developed jointly with UK Space Command. The system aims to identify, characterise, and warn of laser strikes that could dazzle, blind, or damage satellites supporting both civilian life and national defence.
Government figures show roughly one-fifth of UK GDP depends on services delivered via space, from banking and navigation to weather forecasting and intelligence. The new sensors will provide rapid, unambiguous data on laser incidents so operators and the military can respond quickly and reduce disruption.
Why Britain is investing in laser detection now
The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) elevated space to parity with land, sea, air and cyber, framing it as a contested operational domain. The new laser sensor project is among the first tangible follow-ups, signalling a shift from treating satellites as passive infrastructure to defending them as critical assets.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard said satellites were now “a hugely important and contested frontline” for both the economy and the armed forces.
“Satellites play a vital role in UK prosperity and security. They are crucial to our everyday lives and provide a critical capability for our Armed Forces. It is essential they are protected,” he added.
How lasers threaten satellites: Dazzling, blinding and collateral damage
Lasers appeal to attackers because they can be fired from afar, leave few traces, and provide plausible deniability.
- Dazzling temporarily overwhelms a satellite’s optical sensors.
- Blinding causes permanent damage to imaging instruments.
Both can cripple functions such as reconnaissance or navigation without producing debris.
A sufficiently powerful beam can also overheat or deform solar arrays or thermal components, rendering a satellite uncontrollable.
Because laser sources can be mobile — ground, air, sea or even third-country platforms — attribution is complex and politically sensitive.
The expanding threat: Missiles, co-orbital craft, jamming and cyber
Lasers are one of several emerging anti-satellite threats. Others include:
- Kinetic strikes using direct-ascent missiles.
- Co-orbital manoeuvres by small “inspector” satellites capable of interference or sabotage.
- Directed-energy weapons, including high-power microwave systems.
- Jamming and spoofing of radio-frequency links such as GPS.
- Cyber intrusion targeting ground stations and command networks.
Each presents unique challenges for detection, attribution and mitigation. Jamming and spoofing are cheap and covert; kinetic or directed-energy attacks are harder to execute but more destructive.
China, Russia and India prove the risks of anti-satellite weapons
Over the past two decades, several nations have demonstrated the ability to destroy satellites from Earth.
China’s 2007 anti-satellite test shattered one of its own weather satellites, creating thousands of debris fragments.
India’s 2019 Mission Shakti used a modified ballistic missile to strike a test target in low Earth orbit.
The United States and Russia conducted similar tests during and after the Cold War, proving precision guidance alone can neutralise orbital targets.
Beyond these powers, North Korea and Iran are believed to be exploring jamming, spoofing and missile-based counterspace technologies. Intelligence assessments warn that regional actors could soon pose serious threats to Western space assets.
How Britain’s new sensors will work
The UK’s laser-detection sensors are not weapons but early-warning instruments designed to spot, measure and trace hostile laser activity.
They will analyse characteristics such as wavelength, intensity and origin, determining whether a beam comes from the ground, the atmosphere or another satellite.
Accurate characterisation enables operators to decide whether to manoeuvre, switch frequencies, or alert allies.
Detection is the foundation of a wider defensive architecture that includes hardened satellite designs, encrypted communications, and resilient constellations where no single asset is critical.
UK Space Command: space is now a contested frontline
The SDR confirmed that space is central to national security and modern warfare. Major General Paul Tedman, Commander of UK Space Command, said the investment demonstrates intent to stay ahead of adversaries:
“In this new era of threats, UK Space Command is competing against a growing arsenal of adversary counterspace systems and requires new and innovative edge technology to protect and defend our satellites. In less than six months after publishing the SDR, we are already investing new money into this novel technology to accelerate our space programme.”
UK Space Command and @spacegovuk have announced a new project to detect & analyse lasers being used against UK satellites
— UK Space Command (@UKSpaceCmd) October 3, 2025
Lasers are used for a variety of reasons in space. This technology will help us detect lasers & identify whether they pose a threathttps://t.co/lpqLqMwZQ5 pic.twitter.com/H8iG1dwXEy
Space underpins both prosperity and defence. The UK government estimates that satellite services support nearly one-fifth of GDP, while the wider space and defence industries contribute tens of billions of pounds and hundreds of thousands of jobs.
A successful laser or jamming attack could disrupt banking, transport, emergency response and military operations. That explains why the project forms part of the Plan for Change, aligning national security goals with industrial growth.
Harshbir Sangha, UK Space Agency Director of Growth, said:
“Protecting the UK’s satellite infrastructure is vital to our national security, economy and daily life. This joint project with UK Space Command marks an important step in developing the tools we need to detect and respond to emerging threats in space.”
Detection is not enough: Attribution and resilience still matter
Detection alone cannot stop an attack. Lasers can be switched off or moved within seconds, making attribution and diplomatic response difficult. Even when a beam’s origin is known, proving intent or state responsibility is complex.
The UK’s initiative must therefore sit within a broader resilience strategy — strengthening cyber protection, international attribution frameworks, and allied cooperation.
Britain’s laser-detection programme is modest in cost but ambitious in purpose. It signals a transition from treating satellites as background utilities to defending them as strategic national assets.
Detection will not eliminate threats, but it will reduce surprise, shorten response times and provide the data needed for a measured, credible national or allied response in an increasingly contested orbital domain.
