Losing one satellite service would cost the UK £1.4 billion a day
Key Points
- Losing GPS would cost the UK £1.4 billion a day
- Satellites underpin almost a fifth of the UK economy
- Russian satellites intercepted a dozen European ones since 2022
- Defence Investment Plan earmarks over £3 billion for space
Losing GPS would cost the UK economy £1.4 billion a day, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has warned. Streeting gave the figure in a keynote speech at the UK Space Power Conference on Wednesday (23 September).
Streeting said satellites underpin almost a fifth of the UK economy, and people rely on them for everyday services, including:
- Weather forecasts
- Energy supplies
- Financial transactions
- Sat navs
- Mobile phone connections
- Amazon deliveries
“Many people in this room would not have found their way here today without everyday technology that relies on space,” said Streeting.
Streeting compared the impact of satellite outages to the disruption people feel when airports go offline, trains stop running or mobile banking fails.
“A minor inconvenience today can quickly become a long-standing grievance tomorrow,” said Streeting.
Streeting said the UK’s adversaries are investing heavily in weapons that can take out satellite systems.
He said two Russian satellites had intercepted communications from at least a dozen European satellites since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Streeting said the Defence Investment Plan earmarks more than £3 billion for space capabilities over its first four years.
The government launched a new UK Space Strategy earlier this month, which puts defence and national security at its centre.
The Ministry of Defence also announced No. 3 Space Effects Squadron on 23 September, the UK’s first squadron dedicated to controlling space.
Streeting said the unit will protect the satellites the UK depends on and deter anyone who threatens them.
