The U.K. Ministry of Defence’s Defence Equipment and Support has awarded Lockheed Martin and Rhea Group $5 million contracts to provide a secure control system for the United Kingdom’s military satellites.
The selected companies awarded under the MoD’s Project Beroe will help develop a software solution to capture and process onboard system data for satellite performance monitoring and control.
The ministry chose Lockheed and Rhea for the research and development phase of the program after completing the work requirements in the initial stage.
According to DE&S Project Manager Melanie MacDonald, the required software will allow the government to control the country’s future satellites directly.
“This capability will support U.K. Armed Forces operations and provide them with the edge they need to protect the nation,” she said.
Project Beroe supports the U.K.’s National Space Strategy of conducting cutting-edge research to sustain the country’s advantages in space science and technology.